


Naruto: Different Past, Brighter Future

by ZJ_Wilson



Series: Naruto: The Difference [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Powerful Uzumaki Naruto, Slight Alternate Universe, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:07:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 29
Words: 162,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23619487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZJ_Wilson/pseuds/ZJ_Wilson
Summary: The night of the Kyuubi attack, Minato makes liberal use of his shadow clones to get his final affairs in order. Things get done a little differently than they would have if he had simply focused on the attack, and hopefully, his newborn son will benefit from his and now Jiraiya-sensei's actions.Cross-posted to FF.Net, complete
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuuga Hinata/Uzumaki Naruto
Series: Naruto: The Difference [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1700185
Comments: 21
Kudos: 83





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> What if The Fourth had managed to settles his affairs a little more cleanly before making the ultimate sacrifice? If Jiraiya had played the part of dutiful godfather to an orphaned Naruto? Hopefully, this answers those questions, try to enjoy this story that I own no part of!

Konoha. The village hidden in the leaves, located near the heart of the Land Of Fire. The Leaf was usually a safe, happy ninja village. There was a sea of trees surrounding the landscape, starting a few dozen meters from the large protective wall. The village itself usually had a cheery air to it. Streets would bustle with activity by day and be patrolled by ninja at night, giving off a very non-militaristic feel to most citizens. Despite the lack of an intimidating presence, there have been several times where the Leaf has shown it's great strength. There have been a total of three Great Shinobi Wars, all of which have bred powerful and famous ninja from the victorious villages; Konoha being among them every time. Aside from the devastating times of war when the Leaf had to showcase its might, there was also this day. October 10th.

The evening started off as both a trying yet exciting time for a very important couple, secretive though they may be. This couple was Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, otherwise known as the Yondaime Hokage and the secret love of his life. Kushina had just gone into labor, which on its own is a stressful, painful experience. Unfortunately, there was another fact about Kushina that compounded upon their worries. Kushina was a jinchuriki, more specifically, she was the jinchuriki of the widely feared Kyuubi. Due to the nature of the seal that held the Nine-Tailed fox at bay, as soon as the woman entered labor the seal would weaken.

Minato, being the dutiful husband that he is, whisked her away to a remote, safe place with a trusted team to ensure the safety of his wife and child. Despite the Yondaime's best efforts, however, disaster was sure to strike.

This brings us to the current tragedy within the leaf. The Kyuubi had broken free of its jailer and was on a rampage throughout the village. Everywhere there were ninja, defending either the powerless citizens or their beloved home. The Yondaime himself, however, was nowhere to be found. The ninja were rallying behind their previous Kage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Lord Third. Valiant as their combined efforts were, nothing could stop the chakra beast. All that was left to do was buy time for the Fourth to return and save his village. 

* * *

_Outside of Konoha, birthing safehouse_

There were three people in the small underground room. Well, two people and a newborn baby. Minato Namikaze looked longingly at his exhausted wife who cradled a crying Naruto. As the blond man gathered his things in preparation to save his village, he heard his wife speak out.

"I really hate that you have to go," the fiery redhead said in an uncharacteristically soft voice.

In all honesty, Minato was also hesitant to leave his small yet precious family. "Bah, you know my crazy heroics are the reason you love me in the first place Kushina!" he replied with false confidence, keeping his back turned to hide the apprehension in his eyes. Steeling his nerves, he strode over to his wife and child.

"This is what I get for sharing my hero with the village huh?" Kushina shot back with a little more of her usual gusto, but the tears brimming in her eyes gave away her fear for the love of her life.

Stooping low, Minato placed a heated kiss on his wife's lips, and then a gentler one on his now quiet son's head. "I'll be right back, gotta go do hero stuff."

And with that, he was gone. In a flash.

Naruto resumed his crying for reasons only a baby can understand, his mother joining in with him. The silent tears that streaked down her face as she comforted her son were for her husband. She knew firsthand how horrifyingly dangerous that fox was, but at least Minato had an entire village at his back.

In the midst of tending to her child, Kushina was alerted to a bright yellow flash in the room. Looking up with hope in her features, she only saw a trio of what must have been shadow clones. "Minato?"

Two of the clones revealed scrolls and plain ink and immediately began writing off to the side. The third clone approached Kushina and Naruto as he spoke, "I'm taking you back to our house. The basement stronghold should be secure and secluded, much more so than here."

With nothing more than a determined nod of her head, the trio left in another bright flash that left the two clones to finish their work in silence. After the first clone finished with the contents of the scroll, it addressed it to a man he knew would not only receive it but also heed the messages it contained. _To Hiruzen Sarutobi, Lord Third._

_Hiruzen,_

_I am now fairly certain that I will end up trading my life for my village. Do not mourn me too long, for I am honored that I have this opportunity to do the title of Hokage proud. I will also have enclosed two separate scrolls, one that details the last of the reform plans for the Leaf that I have been messing with and one for Naruto's godfather, Jiraiya-sensei. The first scroll will be for whoever my successor turns out to be, and I pray to Kami that it isn't you, old-timer! Jokes aside though, this is goodbye. Keep an eye on the new guy for me eh? These 'youngsters' as you call us tend to muck things right? Please make sure Sensei gets my message as soon as possible, it's a revised request if the worst should happen to Kushina as well. Also… try to keep an eye on Naruto for me. That beautiful little boy looks like he'll have a bit of a Red Hot Habanero attitude to him if you know what I mean. There will also be 'other' circumstances that will make him require an extra eye, a circumstance I'm sure I'll hate myself for up until the very moment I bite the big one. With that, I'll see you later old friend._

_Minato Namikaze, Lord Fourth_

With the scroll to Hiruzen finished, the clone started on the scroll made out to his successor with his last wishes as Hokage described. As this was happening, the second clone finished the scroll to Jiraiya-sensei.

_Jiraiya-sensei,_

_Hey there you pervy old bastard. If you're reading this, then it's a safe bet that I'm dead. I'm truly sorry that you have outlived yet another student, and I'll miss you, sensei. First of all, thank you. For the training, for the examples you've given me, and especially for believing in me. I couldn't have done it without you, sensei, and I know that sometimes in my life I forget to tell my precious people just how much they mean to me. You are one of my precious people, and for that, I can't thank you enough._

_._

_._

_._

_Also, remember how you said you'd be Naruto's godfather? HAHA yeah about that, thanks again! I'm going to have to ask you to take that really seriously if tonight or any other night the unthinkable happens to Kushina. I'll try to prevent that with every fiber in my being, but I can't really do much when I'm dead right? Little bit of dark humor for you there, my bad. By now, you probably already know about my plan to enlist Naruto's help in saving the village. Unfortunately, I know that the village won't see it that way, which is why Kushina kept the fox hidden during her time here. If worst comes to worst, sensei, I need you to take care of my boy for me. You are the only man left that I trust to keep him safe from both the villagers and the damned fox. I would also love it if he could grow to be strong, but just look at his parents! What am I even worried about! Seriously though, keep him safe sensei. He'll take his mother's last name to stay safe from Iwa and the rest of the idiots who hate me. Naruto Uzumaki, has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? If you can, raise him in Konoha. I know it will be hard with your spy network, but I want him to grow to love the village as much as his old man does. Take this as the last wish of your student. I'm counting on you, Jiraiya-sensei. Also, if you impart any of your pervy-ness onto my son Kushina will find a way to come back and castrate you. Her words, not mine!_

_Minato Namikaze, your Blond Baka_

Suddenly, the third clone popped back into the room, adding another scroll to the pile. The scroll was already sealed and signed to his son. Naruto's scroll from him would be one of the only things he would have to remember his father by. With a sad smile, two of the clones popped out of existence as the final clone sealed the scrolls into a final sealing scroll and delivered them to the Hokage's desk. With only enough chakra left for a single hiraishin and a few minutes after the technique, the clones flashed back to his family to at least send a few final memories to the real Minato. And from there, the rest is history. 

* * *

_On the outskirts of Fire Country, two days after the Kyuubi attack_

Jiraiya took in the haggard appearance of the heavily breathing Konoha ANBU with a critical eye. The man had obviously been moving nearly constantly to reach him. Jiraiya had received word by one of his informant's falcon's a day prior to the attack on his village, and as such was on his way back from the Land of Rice. The fact that the Hokage had sent a runner did not bode well with the Sannin, the Hokage knew that he would be returning to bolster village strength after such an incident. Also, the fact that it was a runner sent to him instead of a bird was worrying.

"Jiraiya-sama, I come with grave news from Konoha. You have undoubtedly heard of the attack already, but I bring you the… last words and wishes to you of our Yondaime Hokage. I… I am very sorry for your loss," the ANBU said in a somber tone, unable to meet the eyes of the renowned man.

Jiraiya stood still, chest and stomach aching as if struck. He knew there was always a possibility, but the confirmation hurt. It hurt worse than almost anything. Minato had been his sole surviving pupil, and eventually, the barrier of sensei and student had dissolved. Jiraiya had never had a son, and Minato was deprived of a father, so the roles filled perfectly with both of them happy with the outcomes. But Minato was gone and all that Jiraiya had was a piece of paper with his student's last wishes on them. Jiraiya would suffer in the stomach of the Shinigami itself before he turned away the wishes of Minato.

With a heavy hand and a heavier heart, Jiraiya took the scroll. "Thank… thank you. I have to tend to this before I continue, please, return home and help our people as much as you can."

The ANBU left with a final bow, and Jiraiya was alone. Silently, He made his way to the nearest town and rented a room. Doing such was an unusual treat usually saved for when he brought company with him, but he needed the seclusion of a room to process what he had learned.

In a cheap, dark room sitting next to a solitary candle, Jiraiya sat and read. And in the dark by himself, Jiraiya did something he hadn't done since he lost Tsunade. He cried. 

* * *

_Konoha one week after the attack_

Hiruzen sat behind the desk that had already consumed most of his life. Wearing the hat once more, Hiruzen once again looked at the scroll he had in front of him. This was the second scroll that he had from Minato, albeit unintentionally. There was a separate piece of paper to the side that had a few notes scrawled on its surface. Hiruzen was going to do his best to convince the council to enforce the changes the Yondaime wanted. On the other hand, there was an old, familiar tingle crawling up his spine. Yes, it was unmistakable. Jiraiya was going to do or say something stupid.

Not a minute later, Jiraiya barged into his office holding a crying Naruto. "Sensei! What the hell am I supposed to do with this thing?"

Yup, there it is. "Well, Jiraiya, you could start by holding him with his head above his feet," Hiruzen told him with a knowing smile on his face. Smiles of any kind were getting rare these days.

"Sensei I don't know if I am cut out for this kind of thing," the Sannin said as the baby slowly stopped crying.

"And that's exactly why I think you're perfect for the job."

"Thank you I'm so relieved I don't have to -" there was a pause as the toad sage cut himself off, "wait, what?"

Adorning another smile, Hiruzen gestured his old student to take a seat. "Jiraiya, you have never had to care for a child before. This is a powerful experience that I think you would only benefit from. Not to mention young Naruto here having a constant watch on his seal. I can tell you myself, the headaches will eventually be overshadowed by pride."

Jiraiya fell silent at that, but whether it was from his sensei's advice or from the mention of the seal that locked a beast of tremendous power in the newborn. "If it wasn't for Minato, I'd be drowning my sorrow in missions and women right now. I guess… for his sake I'll make my way through this."

"I'm happy to hear that! I'll arrange for an apartment to be set up for the two of you. Now, let me keep working on this reformed academy idea, would you? Unless… you want to take the hat from me too?" but Jiraiya had already bolted with Naruto, staying as far away from the job as he could. Hiruzen merely chuckled as he got back to making the notes he'd present to the council. 

* * *

_Konoha, Naruto age 4_

Naruto sat in the park, playing idly by himself. Jiraiya, his father, had created a tight if an odd bond with Naruto. Jiraiya managed well enough to take care of a child, and he was never alone in the task. Naruto had started to notice that people tended to avoid him, but his dad gave him all the attention he needed. And when he couldn't Naruto could always count on his sometimes present uncle Kakashi. Luckily, when one was busy, the other was always free. His dad was out of town on another trip, and Naruto was staying with his uncle Kakashi. Kakashi sometimes let him play in the park while he read his books, but for some reason, older girls don't like it when he reads them. Since the yelling gets annoying, Naruto liked to go off on his own to play. Suddenly, there were four feet next to the small boy, and he followed them up to see who had come over to him.

"Hi!" said a pink-haired girl who looked to be about his age. "How come you're playing alone?"

Naruto didn't know exactly how to answer her, no one except his family really bothered to talk to him. Was that what he was supposed to say? He was alone because that's what happens?

"Yeah! Hey, you wanna come play with us on the swing?" said the second girl, a long-haired blond.

Naruto answered this one immediately, and with a lot of enthusiasm. "Sure! My name's Naruto by the way."

"Great! I'm Sakura and this is Ino! We're best friends," The pink haired Sakura told him excitedly as they ran to the swings.

"Do you wanna be our friend too?" Ino, the blond, asked him as she clambered onto the wooden plank.

Naruto was full of happy emotions, so much so that he could speak. His first friends! Naruto nodded vigorously and quickly wiped his eyes as he took turns with Sakura pushing Ino on the swing. Naruto decided then and there that these two girls, Sakura and Ino, would be his best friends. And for the next hour they had a great time, screaming on the swing, playing ninja, and just being children. Much too soon, however, a pair of moms could be seen and eventually heard, drawing the two girls away.

"We have to go now Naruto. You wanna play again tomorrow?" Sakura asked as she helped Ino brush leaves from her long hair.

"Uh-huh! Same time at the swing again?" Naruto asked her, still ecstatic that he had made friends.

"Sure!" Ino yelled as she and Sakura ran towards their mothers. "See you tomorrow Naruto!"

Naruto waved goodbye until he could no longer see their retreating forms. Naruto then ran back to where his uncle was still reading on a bench.

"Ready to go home Naruto?" The masked jounin asked as he put away his book.

"Sure uncle Kakashi. And guess what!" Naruto almost yelled.

Chuckling, Kakashi answered, "What is it that's got you wound up?"

"I made friends! They're really nice and pretty and their names are Sakura and Ino and I wanna come back tomorrow and…" Naruto carried on all the way home. Kakashi listened, happy for his sensei's son and already planning to take him back the next day. Naruto jumped around the road, over and sometimes into old puddles, trying and always failing to soak his uncle as he talked about his plans for the next day. 

* * *

Naruto had left Kakashi in the same spot as the day before and was already sitting on the swing waiting for his friends. They were a little late, but he didn't mind, his uncle was always late so he was used to it. Naruto kicked his legs idly, his anticipation for the fun he would have with his new friends growing. After another few minutes, he saw a solitary figure, likely one of the girls who had cemented their places in his heart. As the figure walked towards Naruto, he noticed that it couldn't be one of them. This person walked differently, almost like they were afraid of doing so.

"Hi! I'm Naruto Uzumaki, what's your name?" Naruto called out to this small stranger as he started to make out more details.

"He-hello, I'm Hinata," came the soft response. The girl had almost pure white eyes and dark hair. Naruto noticed that she seemed really shy.

"I'm waiting for my new friends! Do you wanna play with us when they get here?" Naruto asked the shy girl a little too loudly, jumping down from the swing to talk.

"Um, y-yes I would! Thank you N-naruto," Hinata told him, although she reacted like something like that would never happen.

Some time passed in silence, Naruto watching the road and Hinata fidgeting with her fingers. Naruto, never being one to sit still for so long, broke the almost-uneasy silence. "Do you wanna start anyway while we wait for them?"

Hinata looked at the blond boy briefly before giving him a nod.

"Great! We can swing for a while so we can see when they get here! Come on, I'll push you!"

Before long laughter could be heard throughout the small park, the two children almost entirely focused on getting higher than their playmate. Well, at least the young girl was. Naruto, while still enjoying his time with his new friend, was keeping a diligent eye on the road for the two girls who had promised to show up. _They're just late… they promised, and you can never break a promise!_

When Hinata was growing visibly bored with the swingset, Naruto asked her if she wanted to play ninja, following the pattern that had already succeeded in making him friends. She agreed quickly and watched in wonder as Naruto sprinted away with an energy that seemed boundless.

The setting sun could find the two children resting with their backs against the tree that held the swing. Hinata was admittedly tired, but Naruto gazed at the road with an even breath. That hardly made sense to the girl, though. _I've already started training with father and cousin Neji, but I'm more tired than Naruto is! He really is… amazing._

Eventually, the two had to part ways. "W-we should um, play more often, Naruto," that simple sentence took almost all the courage the young girl had.

"You betcha!" Naruto yelled back with what appeared to be his usual vigor as he ran off. "Bye! Today was a lot of fun, thank you for being my friend!"

_Friends…_ Hinata thought as she walked towards the Hyuga waiting in the road to escort her home.

Kakashi looked up from his book when he heard the familiar energetic footsteps. Somehow giving an invisible yet genuine smile from behind his mask, his eye managed to show his happiness at seeing the child. "Make any new friends today, Naruto?" he asked, mostly out of politeness than expectation. The poor boy typically didn't receive many kind words from others.

"Yeah! Her name is Hinata and she's really nice! Kinda quiet though, but I like her!" Naruto yelled as he tugged on his uncle's sleeve. "Come on, I want ramen."

Kakashi noticed the slight change in his tone, the small waver that hinted something other than happiness. "Sure thing Naruto, and I'll even make sure Jiraiya takes us both when he gets back."

"All right!" Naruto jumped around once again as they made their way to get his favorite food.

"Same time tomorrow I'm guessing?"

Naruto gave a slight pause, thinking. "Yeah, I think I wanna come back again."

Kakashi again took note of the repressed emotion behind his favorite brat's happy tone. Likely sadness, but from what Kakashi couldn't tell. In truth, Kakashi wasn't the most 'emotionally adept' member of the village. The death of his father, followed by both of his teammates, and then his father-figure sensei had wreaked havoc on the young man. Naruto was the only thing he'd put any energy into aside from his ANBU missions and the memorial stone. As much as he cared for the young boy, he felt himself becoming drained and needed time to recharge. Luckily Jiraiya was due back within two days, and he could hopefully help out the blond bundle of energy. 

* * *

The next day, Naruto stood shocked in front of an ashamed Ino. "What do you mean you don't want to be my friend?"

"It's not really that I don't want to, it's just that my daddy says you're no good!" the blond girl told him.

"But, but why doesn't he like me?" Naruto asked her in a quiet voice, his eyes downcast.

"I don't know, but if my dad doesn't like you then I can't either. Bye, Naruto…" Ino stated, slightly confused by the words. As she walked away, Naruto walked to the swing, devastated.

_Why don't any of the adults like me? I'm a good kid, I haven't done anything wrong!_ A tear slipped from the tip of Naruto's nose and fell to his knee. _I guess I can't have any friends until everyone likes me… How am I supposed to do that? I don't know why they all hate me!_ Memories of the disgusted looks he'd get when shopping with his dad, the whispered nasty words he'd hear as he walked past groups of people, and every other instance he'd ignored flashed before him. At some point, Hinata had appeared by his side, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder. _Will she leave too when she tells her parents? I don't want to be lonely anymore, I like having friends… I'll just have to make everyone like me. I'll, I'll be Hokage, just like Jiji! Everyone has to like the Hokage! I'll make sure to be the best one ever, even better than the Yondaime!_

Naruto thanked Hinata but told her he didn't feel like playing. She understood and watched as the blond wiped his tears on his sleeve and trudged off.

"I wanna go home, uncle Kakashi," Naruto said as he walked up to the reading ninja.

"Naruto what's wrong?" Kakashi asked worriedly, putting away his book.

"I just want to go home…" but Naruto could keep the tears from coming back. "Ino says she can't be my friend! She's not allowed to like me anymore and I want to-" he interrupted himself with a half hiccup, half sob, "-go HOME!"

Kakashi picked up the crying boy, something he hadn't done in years since the kid never stopped moving, and started towards the apartment. Naruto wrapped his arms around his uncle's neck and buried his tear-stained face into them. Yeah, hopefully, Jiraiya would be home soon. 

* * *

_Konoha, October 10th. Naruto's sixth birthday._

Naruto made his way towards the small apartment that had been his home for the past six years. His arms were wrapped around a bag full of goodies, instant ramen chief among them. In his mouth was the remnants of a dango stick, the last bit of the treat hanging just past his lips. Naruto started to cut through his favorite alleyway shortcut and saw one of his newest friends. The puppy was brown and skinny, its ribs visible through its dirty coat. Naruto loved the dog, because no matter how dirty or sad the pup seemed, he always had a friendly smile and time for Naruto. Animals were much better than humans, the boy had found. Animals don't judge you. Animals don't yell at you, or chase you from their stalls or lie about being your friend.

"Hey boy, miss me?" Naruto asked as he set his bag on top of a crate and knelt next to the dog.

Happy yips was his response, and Naruto surrendered his last bite of dango to his friend. "You and Hinata are my best friends, right? You wanna go see her today buddy?" Naruto asked as his pet and played with his friend.

A blissful minute passed. Very few things can be seen as more pure than a boy and a dog enjoying each other's company. Suddenly, Naruto heard a scuffle, then a small change in the air. Then all of a sudden, his little friend gave a loud and painful cry, and blood splattered onto Naruto's arms and face. A kunai was buried into the ribcage of his puppy.

"Holy fuck," came a slurred voice from the far end of the alleyway, "how did, how you misss fucking that?"

"Hey guy, I just aimed for the one on the left mkay?" an equally drunk response was heard.

Naruto heard nothing after that because his shock had given way to despair and desperation. His breathing increased as he cradled the head of his lifeless friend, tears trailing down his cheeks. "No… Please!" was all Naruto could choke out.

"You hear that?" one of the two shinobi said to the wall. "Little demon boy'sss begging for his-" a hiccup, "-his life! Ha!"

The drunk man's counterpart smacked him loudly on the chest as he reached for another kunai with his spare hand. "How pathetical of him… I'll just take his tongue so he can't make to do it no more!"

Naruto picked up the still warm, and hopefully still rescuable, dog and backed away in fear. The two ninja were now towering over Naruto, weapon brandished menacingly. Naruto turned to run, but the kunai flashed by him and knocked over the crate and his bag. Naruto tripped over his own groceries, his birthday treats, and twisted his ankle.

"Damn! Okay, rule new. No more throwing!" a now weaponless attacker laughed as he approached Naruto.

The first thing to go was his ankle. Naruto may have been able to limp off with it sprained as it was, but the merciless ninja stomped a foot down onto the injured joint, snapping t loudly. Naruto screamed out in agony and reached down for his broken ankle.

"Shut up, demon!" the second ninja kicked Naruto in the stomach powerfully, sending him flying into the alley wall and his puppy flying from his grasp.

Naruto felt his head smash into the harsh surfaces of both the wall and the ground, making his vision swim immediately. Naruto's thoughts then became jumbled, and it only added to the confusion of why he was getting attacked and called a demon. Why did these men want him and his puppy dead?

Suddenly, there was a hand gripping Naruto's throat, and he was hoisted up the wall by the cruel grip. Naruto futilely kicked his good leg at his attacker, and it was met with yet another kunai piercing his calf. Naruto didn't even have the breath to scream in pain.

"Looky here, demon," the man whispered into Naruto's ear. His breath stank of alcohol, and there was a sharp point digging into the side of his stomach. "I'm going to stab you riiight here, straight through this little boy you're're're hiding in."

"Yeah, you'll pay for taking our mother from us, you bastard fox!" a thrown shuriken followed this voice and found itself buried into Naruto's shoulder.

"I'm going to stab you, and you'll bleed out here on the ground. A slow, painful death. Still better than a demon like you," Naruto sensed more than felt the blade slam into him, "DESERVES!"

Suddenly, the world started to fade out. Naruto noticed that somehow he was on the ground. Next to him lay his dead dog, and Naruto only had one thought as his visioned filled with a somehow familiar white. _At least I'll get to die with a friend._ And everything was black.


	2. Chapter 2

Naruto opened his eyes and stood in wonder. Not only was he no longer laying on the bloodstained ground, but he was also standing in what appeared to be a sewer. He had no idea what the afterlife was supposed to look like, but if this was it then he was severely unimpressed. Naruto ran a hand down the cold, damp pipe and noticed that it seemed to hum with power. The hallway he was in seemed to come to a dark, abrupt end. The child started a slow pace and began exploring his new environment. The hallway, while at first seemingly ending in a dark abyss, extended with every step he took towards its end. The experience was disorienting in itself, and Naruto stopped after a short while to sit and think. _What's going on? Is this one of those ninja things uncle Kakashi is always telling me stories about? Where people can make you see pretend things?_

" **I am surprised that you have found yourself here so early, you little flea,"** came a deep, intimidating voice. Naruto looked around frantically more out of a desire to find someone in this strange place than out of fear. " **Your ignorance nearly got us killed. You are a complete disgrace of a container!"**

"I'm in prison? What? Who are you?" Naruto called back out, slightly stung by even more harsh words being slung his way.

Out of the darkness in front of Naruto appeared a set of towering cage-like bars. In the middle of the set was a piece of paper with an incomprehensible pattern on it, but all that seemed to be caged was more darkness.

" **I have no reason to speak with you. Be grateful I saved your pathetic life and leave me be!"** with this angry statement appeared a solitary, massive eye that looked directly at the diminutive child. The sheer anger and hatred that seemed to pour from the eye steadily increased as its gaze remained fixed on Naruto, waiting for the scalding reply that usually accompanied jinchuuriki.

Naruto felt the overwhelming presence and stood in silence. After a long minute of the silent stress in the air, Naruto spoke out, "Thank you, then. For saving me. Ninjas are even scarier than uncle Kakashi's stories made them seem like."

" **Those two worthless piles of flesh are no more a true ninja than the insects I burn off my hide!"** was followed by an angry scoff. " **Now leave me be! It is enough that I am stuck here, I should rip you to shreds for making this more annoying than it has to be."**

"But I don't know how to leave… and does all that mean that you're really strong?" Naruto asked timidly as he slowly sat on the cold ground.

_**This child's naivety will get us both killed. On the other hand, perhaps he could be molded into a suitable container, unlike my previous**_ **failures** _**of jinchuuriki.**_ " **Foolish child, flattery will get you nowhere,"** there was less bite in the ominous voice than before.

"Who's Flattery? Is she stuck here too? Maybe we can get out if we all work together!" Naruto said excitedly as he jumped to his feet.

There was a low, dark chuckle. " **Foolish little flea, you do not honestly want me to escape this prison."**

Naruto appeared confused at this, "How come? If you're stuck here with me and this Flattery person, don't we all want out?"

The voice started to say something but stumbled over its words before shouting once more, " **You absolute idiot! Flattery isn't a person, or even one of my kin! Flattery is a description of an action. Almost as useless as the concept of courage or some other human bullshit! Of all my containers, you are easily the least intelligent!"** there was a huff as the eye closed. " **And NO ONE wishes me free of this prison because…"** the eye reopened and slowly rose in height. More of a body was brought into light as the eye rose higher and higher, and soon there was a towering form of a sleek and powerful looking fox looking down on Naruto. The heavy presence from earlier returned increased a thousandfold. " **I will slaughter all in my sight upon my release. The scent of fear when they once again behold my power would fuel me, and soon all of mankind would be wiped away in penance of trapping me like a beast."**

Even Naruto could tell that this outburst was not a threat like the rest had been. After getting over his initial surprise of seeing a giant talking fox, Naruto could sense that the tone change from the fox was a pledge, a pledge of vengeance instead of a hasty threat. Naruto wasn't quite old enough to grasp the severity of the action, but it still stunned him into momentary silence.

When the fox heard the absence of stupid remarks from the flea in front of him, he continued speaking. With a tone of finality and power, the fox told the nearly quivering boy, " **I am the great Kyuubi. The terrible and mighty nine-tailed fox, a harbinger of destruction and murder, an entity of pure hate and malice. Most importantly, I am the destruction of Konoha. Do not forget your place in the food chain, flea."**

Naruto was still silent, trying to make sense of some of the bigger words. Although some of the harder ones went over his head, Naruto got the idea of who the Kyuubi was. " **I have been pumping the meager maximum of my chakra your pathetic body can handle through your real-world body. You will wake up soon, and finally, leave me to my damned peace."**

The massive fox curled up again, its now closed eye falling back into the position Naruto first saw it in. Darkness enveloped the inside of the cage, soon extending past the bars. Suddenly the walls and floor were gone, and for a split second Naruto stood in the blackness before his consciousness blinked out. 

* * *

_Immediately after the alley attack_

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at the Hokage desk, the office silent as he perused the papers of the recently cleared changes to the ninja forces and academy. Hiruzen sighed and wiped a hand down his weary, wrinkled face. He had worn the hat for too long, much longer than he intended. His chosen successor had met his fate far too early in his life, going out in a blaze of glory that left his name in history more prominent than his face on the Hokage mountain.

The Fourth Hokage had left more than a few half baked ideas on the betterment of the village in his wake. The progressive ideas were expressly not meant for the Third to retake the hat and implement. Minato had known that Hiruzen's best years were behind him and had only left a desire to see the next generation grow up.

One such request was an overhaul of the Ninja Academy. Minato had likely known the difference between the peaceful times coming and the war-torn environment that he himself had graduated in. There was no real need to pump out as many half-cocked ninja as there was in the war, so the decree that was put in place to allow lesser shinobi to graduate could be repealed. Hiruzen knew that this would likely save the village a lot of unnecessary deaths that came with unprepared genin.

The only problem was, lesser shinobi were often civilian-born shinobi. Hiruzen had given in to the desires of his civilian council during the Second Great Shinobi War because their proposal both pleased them and gave Hiruzen more ninja to fend off Kumo. The decree lowered the expectation of graduating genin so the less advantaged civilians could make the cut more often. The civilian council had only grown in influence since then and kept the Yondaime's wish from coming to completion for several years.

In reality, the average of two hundred graduates a year could be cut in half, possibly by cutting the semi-monthly graduation exam opportunities and holding them only every three months along with increasing standards. It would give the students more time to train and study before leaping into the deadly world of shinobi. Hiruzen would much rather have around ten thousand _quality_ active ninja instead of the weak-link-riddled fifteen thousand strong the village was now. Excess missions could be sent off to the lesser fire country ninja villages who also pumped out a decent number of ninja every year. Nowhere near the quality of Konoha's academy is capable of, but Konoha wasn't the Shinobi capital for nothing.

The only other request was more for the person in the hat directly, as it was a call for a stronger hand than the third had used in the past. A firm but understanding hand Minato had wanted to use himself. Hiruzen had vowed upon retaking the damned position that he would do his best to make Minato proud in that regard.

Suddenly, the door to the office was sent flying off its hinges. The wooden construct was sent end over end quickly until it slammed into the desk and then over his head. The door was followed by his remaining, and visibly furious, student who was hauling two severely beaten and bloody bodies with him. Again, Hiruzen sighed and wiped at his face as he prepared for the shitstorm Jiraiya had dragged into his office.

"I want them tried and killed, sensei. If it wouldn't cause you more of a headache I'd have done it myself on the way here!" Jiraiya snarled as he threw the two unconscious chunin roughly to the floor.

"What did they do offend you this time, Jiraiya?" Hiruzen asked with a tired, distinctly old-sounding voice. His years really were starting to catch up with him.

"They tried their goddamned best to kill Naruto is what they fucking did!" snarled the furious white haired sannin. Hiruzen sat up straighter at this and narrowed his eyes slightly. "I found them pinning him to a wall with a KUNAI buried into his side. Drunkenly calling him a demon and basically asking me to obliterate them! Sensei, I want them TRIED and KILLED."

Hiruzen no longer had his old man's aura about him. He was once again accompanied by the impression of a powerful Kage that had seen him through multiple wars. "Okay. Kill them. I find them guilty. Just be sure to drop off their corpses at Torture and Interrogation so they can identify them and contact their families."

Jiraiya's fire cooled for a fraction of a second in his confusion. "What? So fast? I'm more than happy to, but this isn't like you, sensei."

"Jiraiya, they attacked a civilian almost certainly unprovoked with more than intent to disable, broke _my_ law of speaking of the Kyuubi in any terms, which is already punishable by death, and in truth they are lucky that Naruto carries his mother's as an orphan or he'd be within his rights as a member and HEAD of an elite Clan to have these chunin's families stripped of honor. As his guardian, kill them and we will be done with the mess."

Jiraiya reached down to the two shinobi and lifted each by their neck. With a flare of chakra and an audible _crack_ , the two broken-necked ninja were tossed towards the door for a previously hidden ANBU to shunshin away with the bodies.

"Sensei, I've made a decision. Naruto and I are leaving."

Hiruzen jerked his surprised and worried gaze to the face of his pupil. "What? Jiraiya, don't be rash because of a single incident-"

Jiraiya slammed a chakra enhanced, clearly enraged fist into the top of his sensei's desk. "DO NOT treat this as an isolated incident, sensei! We are _both_ aware of the barely concealed hatred and open isolation Naruto receives!"

Hiruzen sat back into the chair and looked defeatedly at Jiraiya. "But, I… I will need your help making changes to the village! And you can't expect to keep him safe while running your spy network!"

The toad summoner scoffed, "We both know I'd do jack shit in cleaning up this shit hole of a village. I'm beginning to see why Tsunade left… And as far as keeping him safe, I'll be temporarily handing off my network to Kakashi. I know he's the ANBU commander, but keeping up with a few extra reports won't kill him, especially since he won't have to watch Naruto for me."

"You've spent your entire career cultivating that network, yet you'd really prioritize Naruto over it wouldn't you?" Hiruzen asked softly, knowing his cause was already lost.

Jiraiya's voice also softened. "As would you, sensei. Naruto takes precedence, we both know that," there was a silence as Jiraiya sat in a chair across the Hokage. "We'll move between my safe houses for a while, and then I'll take him on as an apprentice. I swear we'll be back for him to take your new Graduation and Placement Exam okay? Just, give us six years away from the village sensei. He needs this. He can't grow up apart from kids his age, he needs to know social skills as much as he needs ninja skills. He sure as hell won't find that here."

"... Fine, I accept. Now, is the little survivor in the hospital or do we have to crush more skulls to see him?" Hiruzen asked lightly to restore the even ground he had stood on with Jiraiya.

* * *

_Naruto's Hospital Room_

Naruto's eyes opened slowly, the bright white of the room making him close them again almost instantly. Steeling himself, Naruto managed to open them fully to see his father Jiraiya speaking to Old Man Hokage on the far side of the room. Naruto watched them talk for a bit, but eventually, his dad noticed he was awake.

"Ah, the tough little nugget decided to rejoin us, eh?" Jiraiya said with an easy smile. The pair of older men made their way towards the hospital bed.

"Hi dad, hi Old Man!" Naruto said with a smile. "How come I'm wrapped up like this? And can you take away this gross needle?"

Hiruzen smiled a grandfatherly smile before he spoke up. "You don't like needles, Naruto?"

Naruto shook his head as he poked at the offending metal in his arm. "Nuh-uh. Needles are creepy." Naruto quickly transitioned to fiddling with the needle to ripping off the bandage on his face.

"Naruto!" Jiraiya scolded as he leaped forward to catch the bandage. "Why would you do that?"

"It made my face itchy!" Naruto yelled back as he indeed did start to scratch the uncovered skin.

Hiruzen laughed aloud and messed Naruto's hair. "You really should allow the nurses to do their job with these things, you know!"

Jiraiya looked between the bandage and Naruto's face while the boy argued with his sensei. There was clearly blood on the cloth, but Naruto's face remained unmarked. Naruto had always healed rather quickly for a child, scrapes and bruises from playing as young boys do would often disappear overnight. What's more, sprains did nearly the same with not too much longer of a wait. Jiraiya stocked it up to the bastard Fox wanting to keep himself alive through Naruto.

"Ahem," Jiraiya waited for the two to quiet, "Naruto, how are you feeling by the way? Sore?"

Naruto stretched side to side, throwing his arms up like a cat might, "Nah, just kinda stiff, ya know? Kinda like I slept too long but just in my middle."

Jiraiya went over to Naruto and started removing the bandages around his stomach.

"Jiraiya, you should really allow the nurses to do their job," Sarutobi chuckled as the white-haired man unwrapped Naruto.

"Oh wow! This feels way better!" Naruto yelled as he jumped up on the bed. Naruto yanked out the needle when the drip went taut, much to the displeasure of the two men.

Jiraiya didn't stop Naruto from standing so quickly. Instead, he marveled at the smooth, pale skin of Naruto's side. Hiruzen also noticed and spoke out, "Naruto, where did you get hurt, my boy?"

"Eh?" Naruto grunted as he also examined his side. "Oh yeah!" Naruto sat back down on the edge of the bed to kick his legs. "Some big angry fox guy told me he would help me by giving me chakra to get out of the sewer!"

Jiraiya and the Hoage alike stood in stunned silence.

"Naruto, did Mr. Fox call himself Kyuubi?" Jiraiya asked slowly.

"Hey, Yeah he did! Did he get out too? I need to thank him!"

"Naruto," Hiruzen started, "You never have to thank that Fox."

"Yeah, I do Old Man! He said that he had helped me heal before too, he's actually pretty nice when you get past his angryness." Naruto replied happily.

"Naruto, we can talk about your new… 'friend' later," Jiraiya said calmly, "because you and I are going to go on a really nice, long trip! And we have to talk about getting ready!"

Naruto looked at his dad with a shocked expression on his face. "Like a vacation?"

A nurse slipped in behind Jiraiya to start cleaning up the mess of bandages. Jiraiya moved to the side a bit before saying, "Kinda, but we're also gonna start your ninja training while we travel!"

"REALLY?" Naruto jumped again and screamed. "YES! I wanna be as strong as Mr. Kyuubi and be a better Hokage than the Old Man!" Jiraiya smiled at the child's current dream goal. It had been so for a couple years now, and Jiraiya had to constantly refuse the boy's requests for training. Jiraiya wanted his godson to have as normal a childhood as possible for as long as possible.

The nurse made a strangled choking sound and stood quickly. Hiruzen went back into Hokage mode, "You will forget you've heard this conversation for the sake of your health."

The terrified nurse nodded and ran off with the bandages.

"When do we get to leave!?" Naruto asked, now bouncing in place.

"I'll go pack up while the Third here works on getting you checked you out of the hospital, and we'll meet at the Gate okay?" Jiraiya said as he prepared to leave.

"Okay, but you had better hurry up!"

The third bade Naruto try to try and relax a bit before he left, and left the room before Naruto could see his saddened face.

* * *

" **Back again so soon, runt?"** the Kyuubi guttered lowly, already awake in its prison.

"Huh? I was just trying to relax and sleep, how did I get back here with you, Mr. Kyuubi?" Naruto asked in a confused tone.

" **Psh! Idiot! Did you enter your mindscape by accident? How the hell do you accidentally meditate?"** was the incredulous response that followed.

"I don't know!" Naruto exclaimed as he sat down once more. "I was just thinking about you and how come you didn't get to come out with me."

There was actually a bit of surprise shown on the Kyuubi's face, though he hid it quickly. " **Why would you ever be thinking about me, oh little flea?"** the Fox asked, his words dripping with sarcasm.

"I still haven't thanked you for helping me!" Naruto responded, seemingly oblivious to the fox's tone.

The Kyuubi looked at the small boy in near confusion. _**Humans don't do that. Humans are trash, lacking all respect for those that deserve it. He must be trying to trick me into letting my guard down! Insolent wretch…**_

"Also I wanted to ask you if you'd teach me to be strong like you," Naruto called up, his voice quieter and noticeably nervous.

" **What?"** the massive fox had no idea how to respond to such a request. Naturally, the Kyuubi resorted to his go-to attitude, " **Your puny body could never handle even an ounce of my teaching! As if I would ever even decide to help you!"**

Naruto didn't take offense to the Kyuubi's harsh words, he just accepted the fact that this was how his new friend was. "Does that mean if I get bigger and stronger first you'll help me?"

The fox growled in annoyance. " **Does it not bother you that I intend to turn your precious village into rubble?"**

"Honestly, I am more impressed that you _can!_ Like, you must be super strong! And I mean… it can't be the whole village you're mad at! I'll help you find whatever is the real problem since you've already helped me get out of here before."

The Nine-Tails took a hard look at the blond child and tried to find the deceit hidden within the boy. " **And what would you require in return for this favor of yours?"** the distrust was easy to hear.

"Eh. I mean… you'd have to wait a while because I'm still small. But I am gonna start training with my dad really soon! And then I can help you like I promised. But I already wanted to repay you so this can part of it. I always help my friends! Believe it!" Naruto finished standing tall, a fist extended in exuberance.

The fox felt a twinge of what he interpreted as anger. " **You dare assume I need or want friends?! You are pathetic!"** but Naruto had vanished from the mindscape before Kyuubi could finish. 

* * *

_Surrounding forests of Konoha_

"Jeez, kid I've been trying to wake you up for years now," Jiraiya joked to a groggy Naruto.

"Huh? Oh, sorry I was accidentally talking with Mr. Kyuubi again. He seemed upset," Naruto yawned as he sat upon the head of the toad currently carrying him. "Thank you for carrying me!" Naruto giggled as he pats the side of his mount's head.

Jiraiya looked uncomfortable. "Naruto I'm not sure talking to him is such a good idea."

"Nah, he's really angry at something but other than that he's kinda nice!" Naruto said offhandedly, still playing with the toad.

"Naruto, there's a conversation we have to have about your fox friend that I had hoped to put off for a few more years," Jiraiya said.

Naruto started paying attention to his father.

"... Actually, it can wait until we stop for the night! Haha, yeah! There's a small town ahead with a decent hotel and hotspring, what do you think?"

"We can go swimming? All Right!"

* * *

Naruto had finished swimming in the Hot Spring and was now looking for his father. Naruto waded around the large pool of water and noticed a small shift in the leaves of a nearby tree. Moving closer, Naruto did see that it was his father in the tree. Deciding to practice being a ninja as soon as he could, Naruto snuck up the back of the tree. In truth, he wasn't all that quiet. Luckily his dad seemed to be distracted by something on the far side of the dividing wall. Naruto followed his father's gaze and saw a group of women swimming.

"Hey dad, why are we looking at people swim?"

"SONOFA-" Jiraiya's curse was mercifully cut off by his impact with the hard ground. _Oh, Kami no not yet. He's too young yet! Oh shit, Kushina is going to literally kill me if she finds out!_

"Dad, you okay?" Naruto laughed as he came down from the tree, shaking leaves from his towel.

"Ah, well, you see, umm… research is… Hey, how about we go in and talk now?" Jiraiya asked in a lame attempt at changing the subject.

"But we can talk here right?" Naruto asked innocently.

"Not about everything we need to talk about," Jiraiya thought desperately for a way to placate his godson. "It's about your training as a real ninja!"

"Let's go!" Naruto screamed as he dragged his father by the wrist, forcing the sannin to grasp his towel and save his modesty. Ironic considering his favorite pastime. 

* * *

The room the two had booked was fairly spacious. It had two beds, a desk, a table, and a few chairs. There was a candle lit on the desk, and the two now dressed occupants sat in chairs. Naruto was nearly vibrating in his chair he was so excited, and his father tried not to shake as well - out of nervousness.

"I wanna go first, dad! Mr. Kyuubi might help me be the best ninja ever if I get stronger first! So I wanna start training RIGHT NOW so I can go home and go straight to wearing the Old Man's hat!" Naruto yelled.

Jiraiya winced at these words. "Naruto, there's a few things I have to tell you about the Kyuubi before you decide to trust anything he says."

"On the day you were born, Konoha was attacked. Directly attacked by a force no one had ever gone against before. This attack killed many good shinobi... and the one who attacked… was the Kyuubi. The Nine-Tailed Fox sealed inside of you."

Naruto sat in confused silence for a moment. "But I thought the Yondaime killed the Fox Monster? Isn't that what the village celebrates on my birthday?"

"Naruto, the Kyuubi can't be killed. It is nothing more than a mass of chakra that grew to have a consciousness. It is what we call a Biju, and is the strongest of the nine because it has nine tails. A Biju can only be trapped. A Biju that strong… can only be trapped in a living container, a living prison. A very, very young one so its chakra network has time to adapt."

Naruto had been silent until this point. "You mean me, right?"

"Yes, Naruto. The Fourth chose you because," Jiraiya took a painful pause, "because he knew you would be strong enough to be the prison of the Kyuubi. In this way, you are the… legacy of the Fourth," this was all Jiraiya was willing to say about Naruto's true father until he was older and more responsible.

"The Kyuubi did say he wanted to destroy Konoha, but it wasn't because he hated the village!" Naruto protested. "He said that I might be able to find the thing he's really angry at so he doesn't have to destroy the village."

This news genuinely surprised Jiraiya. Truth or not, Jiraiya never expected to hear this. "Well, you have a while before you can even think about that. Being a ninja is no easy thing to do, and you _have_ to put your training first!"

"YES! I want you to make me the best ninja ever, dad!" Naruto exclaimed with his usual exuberance.

"Some families start training their children extremely early, like the Hyuuga. They do this mostly because they want to develop their kekkei genkai as soon as they can. The Uchiha also do this much for the same reason. Most children, though, begin at around six or seven, this might be tough, but I'll turn you into a powerful shinobi if you follow what I say!" Jiraiya started. "Here's the plan then. We'll spend a year making you stronger and faster. Nothing but that and lectures about how to be a REAL ninja, okay?"

Jiraiya was met with excited nods. "That will leave us five years until your twelfth birthday, which is when we go back to Konoha. We'll spend a year on taijustu, a year on ninjustu, and we can ignore genjustu since you probably won't have the control to use it to its fullest. The next two years we'll focus on your practical and survival skills and finally working it all together. Hmm, I think we'll see how well you take to fuuinjustu in your downtime! If you're anything like me you'll be a natural!"

Jiraiya felt a pang in his heart think of Naruto's actual father. Yes, If Naruto had _half_ of Minato's talent mixed with his Uzumaki blood Jiraiya felt Naruto would surpass him in every way.

"I'll become the best ninja and Hokage ever, dad! Believe it!"

Next came the part that Jiraiya didn't want to have to deal with. "Naruto… You should start calling me sensei okay?" fervent nods were the response. "It's also because… I'm not your real father. I'm your godfather." 

* * *

" **Do you find joy in bothering me constantly?"** was the greeting Naruto received upon his arrival to his mindscape.

"He's not really my dad…" Naruto mumbled to himself.

" **What was that, you flea? If you must break my peace and speak to me, at least do so properly!"** the Kyuubi growled.

Naruto didn't immediately respond. Right before the Kyuubi could flare his massive amount of chakra to drive away the pest, the boy looked him in the eye. "I will spend the next year getting stronger. After that, will you start helping me too? Sensei explained to me who and what you are."

The Kyuubi was surprised at that. " **You know the truth, yet I feel no hate from you."**

"Why would I hate you? You've only ever helped me!"

" **Not because I wanted to!"** the response was immediate. " **Listen to me, flea. You are my jinchuuriki. I've thought over our deal, and I have decided that I want a powerful vessel to represent me. I'll be damned if I continue to fade into history! If you can impress me enough by the end of your year of training, I MAY consider helping you directly. Until then, expect nothing more than me keeping the both of us alive. Understand?"**

Naruto only nodded. " **I suppose in addition I could start filtering more chakra through your seal. I may as well get your currently worthless body conditioned to my chakra. I expect to see the light of day before too long."**

"Would you be able to talk to me even if I don't come in here?" Naruto asked.

" **I suppose I could, but why would that matter? My cell not pleasing enough for you?"** there was a bit of the usual fire in the fox's tone.

"No, I just thought you might get bored sometimes. If you want, You could maybe look through my eyes too? Can you do that? I know that some people in Konoha have really awesome eye tricks…"

There was a powerful growl from the cage. " **I do not wish to speak of the dojustu of Konoha! And all you have to do is shake one of my claws in agreement to allowing me to link with your senses. You'll be able to cut me off whenever you wish."** The Kyuubi tried to sound indifferent, but the opportunity to see the forest again lightened his hatred-filled heart.

The two shook. The Kyuubi noticed the odd behavior of his prison keeper, and spoke, " **Go now, kit. Rest, and then become strong."**


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey Ero-sensei, wanna go back to that village with the hot spring today?" Naruto asked his godfather and sensei.

"Ugh," the sannin groaned in response. "You've caught me conducting IMPORTANT research those three times Naruto, how many times do I have to tell you!"

The pair continued to walk down the path, Naruto carrying both heavy bags with minimal difficulty. The last year had been full of tasks just like this one. Menial labor, chores, and everything his perverted sensei didn't want to do himself. And by god was it working. Naruto didn't quite understand it, but by the time he was done with everything the toad sage had asked of him he honestly struggled with the _actual_ exercises at the end of the day.

"I don't know, all those women beating you up kept calling you an old pervert. They can't ALL be wrong can they?" Naruto asked cheekily.

Jiraiya grumbled and pushed his student over into the ditch.

"Hey! What's the big idea? My ramen could have been smashed!" Naruto yelled as he dug through his pack to check on his precious sustenance.

"I just wanted you to sit down while I broke the news to you!" Jiraiya laughed as he also took a seat on the ground.

Still grumbling and checking over his ramen stash, Naruto replied, "You could have just asked, stupid Ero-sensei."

With little more than a smack to the back of the head to silence the brat, Jiraiya spoke. "You just turned seven a few days ago, which means that we are going to get you started on learning taijutsu."

"HECK YEAH!" Naruto yelled as he jumped up from his seated position.

"Hey, I wanted you to sit down for this!" Jiraiya yelled as he attempted to get his student back under control. "We'll work our way towards a very special place to train, it's where I trained for many years in my own youth. I actually still visit quite often."

"Awesome! So I'm gonna be stronger than you, sensei?" Naruto asked excitedly.

"Oh ho, you're a few decades early to be beating up on me, squirt!" was the response.

" **As soon as you can handle more than four tails I'm sure you could take the old one!"** Naruto heard the Kyuubi tell him in his mind. Or, stomach. Whatever.

Naruto internally agreed with his tenant. "Am I going to keep training on the way there?"

"Yes, actually. I'll be amping up your training too, so don't expect any of this to be fun or easy!" Jiraiya lectured. "We'll also jump ahead a little since there are a few skills you'll need to get to where we're going. Namely, tree and water walking."

"Eh? What with walking?"

Jiraiya sighed as he got up from his seat and calmly walked up the side of a tree. "You will also eventually be able to do this on water too. These are just the basics of being a shinobi."

"That. Is SO COOL!"

"Naruto!" Jiraiya snapped as he came back to the earth. "This isn't like it was before. Before this training, you were only a really, really fast and strong civilian. Once you start this, there is no going back. You'll be a shinobi in training, and therefore a target to many enemy villages."

Naruto's enthusiasm quelled at this, but overall he didn't seem discouraged. "Well, just you wait until I'm older! I'll be the ones THEY have to worry about!"

Jiraiya did his best not to smile at his exuberant student. "Grab our stuff, we're making camp off the side of the road here. Naruto, I didn't tell you this, but I painted a gravity seal on you half a year ago while you were passed out from training. I've kept it relatively low at 1.25 times the usual gravity. I didn't want to risk your growth too much, but now that you're stronger I'm going to crank it up to double gravity."

Naruto stood shell-shocked, amazed that something so absolutely and completely awesome was already on him.

"It will take you a few days to adjust, so I'll give you the jutsu known as the Academy Three to work on. They're simple, E-ranked jutsu so you won't hurt yourself, but with the Kyuubi, you should be more than fine." Jiraiya talked as he led his student towards a clearing.

"I thought Jutsu was next year?" Naruto asked.

"The heavy stuff will be, but these light jutsu is what we'll use to gauge your chakra control. It will be extremely difficult for you to control the massive amount you have, so the closer you get to using these jutsu the better your control is."

"Okay, what three do I get to master?" Naruto asked excitedly, bouncing in place.

Jiraiya showed his student the hand signs for the Kawarimi, the simple Bunshin, and the Henge. "The Kawarimi is used to switch places with an object or person, and it has to be in your line of sight to do it. The bunshin creates a non-solid clone, it's good for deceptions once you perfect it. And the henge is used to transform yourself, usually into someone else, but you can turn into things like potted plants to blend in during espionage."

Naruto had wide eyes at the new knowledge, but the Kyuubi in him had other thoughts. " **These parlor tricks are hardly worthy of being called jutsu!"**

" _Hey I've got to start somewhere!"_ was Naruto's inner response. He knew the fox got the message when he heard the scoff.

"Now, tomorrow you can start practicing all this!" Jiraiya said happily as he grasped Naruto's upper left arm.

"What? How come I gotta wait for tomorrow?! I gotta train now if I'm gonna be the Hok - ACH!" The poor blond was driven into the dirt by an unseen force.

"Today, focus on setting up your tent and adjusting to the new pressure!" Jiraiya laughed as he moved to his own tent, which was pre made by a kage bunshin. 

* * *

Naruto took in the exotic looking landscape with wide eyes. And empty lungs. He had adjusted over the last three weeks of traveling and light training to the new level of his seal, but he was exhausted. Naruto looked behind him and saw the sheer drop. He had to wall walk for fifteen minutes between ledges for the last three hours. The last hour had been torture, not to mention the lake he had to cross just to make it to the cliff! He had to admit that the view was worth it, though. He had never seen a place like the one he was currently in.

Thinking back over his recent travels, Naruto decided that the old pervert had some great views on training. His sensei had told Naruto that the blond had too much chakra to easily grasp the finer point of chakra control off the bat. Naruto had no qualms about learning the skill through more effort, and he had chakra to burn on nearly constant practice.

After mastering the walking on various surfaces, Naruto paid more attention to his jutsu. He was a quick learner regarding the henge and kawarimi, being particularly adept at the former. Naruto's transformations weren't mere illusions, much to Jiraiya's shock. It made almost no sense, but it was if Naruto shape-shifted into whatever he transformed into. Jiraiya accounted it to him supercharging it with chakra or bijuu-enhanced chakra, but he mostly ignored it.

The bunshin, however… Naruto couldn't make a halfway decent clone to save his life. He had the best results when he tried to spawn upwards of twenty, but they still came out missing limbs or dead looking.

Naruto and Jiraiya made their way across the exotic-looking mountaintop. Jiraiya had said something about there being old friends that would take him in, and Naruto was excited, to say the least. Even when he didn't know that Jiraiya wasn't his real father he didn't meet any of his friends. On the other hand, his sensei's friends were likely just as perverted as the toad sage himself.

As sensei and student crested a small hill, Naruto saw an older looking cottage. Naruto wasn't sure what he was expecting, but two old, wrinkled toads were NOT it. Naruto knew that his sensei was able to summon toads, just like the Fourth could. These toads, however, weren't much bigger than normal toads. Were they special somehow?

"Jiraiya boy!" called one of the toads.

' _Yep, they can talk.'_

" **You really know nothing, kit!"** the Fox laughed within Naruto. " **Those two are Fukasaku and Shima, although back when I last saw them they were just starting to get serious about dating!"**

" _What?" Naruto asked. "How long ago was that?"_

" **Oh, it was back before humans started hating me that's for sure."** There was bitterness in his tone.

"Jiraiya I see you've brought a guest for supper! You know better than to surprise me like this!" another old toad yelled.

"Sorry, Maa! I forgot to send a messenger toad ahead!" Jiraiya responded apologetically. The perverted sage rubbed the back of his head much like Naruto would, much to the boy's displeasure. That was _HIS_ signature damnit.

"I'll get started on an extra large dinner right away!" the elderly toad Jiraiya called Ma stated.

"Naruto, since we dropped in on them like this why don't you go help her? Pa and I have some catching up to do anyhow."

"You got it sensei. Lead the way, Ma!" Naruto shouted as he marched behind the toad. The two disappeared into the cottage before long.

"So," Pa started as the two sages sat in the grass, "this is the boy you've been telling us about."

"Yes, Pa, he is. This is Minato's son, Naruto."

"You didn't need to tell me that! The darn boy looks just like little Minato did!" There was a pause. "What is he like, Jiraiya?"

Another pause, but Jiraiya smiled in thought before he broke the silence. "Minato and Kushina would have been proud, Pa. I know I sure am."

"Oh?" there was a weary chuckle from the toad. "Care to elaborate?"

"Well, he's just as damn loud as Kushina was that's for sure!" the two stopped to laugh for a good minute, reminiscing over times past. "He has a good heart in him. A strong one, just like his father's."

These few seconds of silence held no laughter or mirth in it. "What about the rest of him? Is he strong? WILL he be strong?"

"Pa, you have no idea." Jiraiya shifted his legs. "He's incredible. If anything I've held him back… He'll be the strongest any of us have seen."

"Don't forget, Jiraiya boy, that I have seen a lot more than you!" the old toad bellowed in amusement. Still smiling, Pa asked, "Why in the world would you be holding him back? And _how?_ "

"Don't get me wrong, Pa, he's amazing for a seven-year-old kid! He's tree and water walking, he's got the academy three down except for the bunshin, and I've got him on a twelve-hour double gravity rotation."

The elderly toad didn't seem too impressed until Jiraiya brought up the gravity/weight training. "I can think of a few ninja even recently who have a more impressive record at his age, but I will admit I am surprised you've got a gravity seal on him at what, seven?" A nod in confirmation.

"I'm taking the gravity slowly, don't worry. It's stuck for probably another year before I'm comfortable bumping it again." Jiraiya rubbed at his face before continuing. "Would those other ninja happen to be Kakashi and Itachi?"

"Yes, well —"

"Look at how those ninja turned out, Pa. Powerful? Beyond a doubt. But one has defective emotional control issues and the other defected entirely."

Pa had no response for his student.

"I want him to brush his basics up before we get to the heavy hitting stuff."

"Why do you want to limit him like that?"

"You know how boys are! They love blowing things up! Always setting firecrackers in my personal stuff, playing pranks on their sensei's, setting fire to whatever they can…"

"I think you're the only one with this problem, Jiraiya boy."

"I've had that problem with every boy I've trained!" Jiraiya defended. "Now what would happen if you taught that boy how to blow up villages before teaching _when_ to blow up villages?" There was a sad smile accompanying the question.

"... You make a good point, my boy. How do you plan to go about this? If he has as much potential as you say, he'll need some pretty strong morals."

"Pa. Sensei," Pa looked directly at Jiraiya. Jiraiya never called him sensei. "I want him trained as a toad warrior."

There was a long, pregnant silence. Emotions and thoughts flew through the air, and Naruto could be faintly heard yelling from the kitchen. "Are you sure, Jiraiya? A human hasn't trained as a toad in a very, very long time."

"He needs to know when to be disciplined and when to be carefree. I've held back his growth this long because I want him to be capable of a real life. Of making friends. Of eventually making his own family."

"Yet he needs the strictest discipline regarding his strength."

"Yes, and I'm talking about his strength alone. That's not even considering the Fox."

"Hmm, a problem indeed. Doesn't Konoha have an agency you've mentioned that specializes in this? Root?"

Jiraiya huffed through his nose. "That joke of an organization will never lay a finger on Naruto. I'd kill the lot of them before they did."

"Now, now Jiraiya boy! I'm using them as an extreme example, nothing more!" the wrinkled toad laughed. "Naruto will need a professional face almost as strong as theirs is, but he'll have to be able to put it on and take it off like a smile."

"That's what I'm counting on."

The two continued to speak of lighter things for a while, but eventually, they heard Ma's call for dinner. Jiraiya stood and stretched, preparing himself for what was to come. Training would be a pain in itself, but first, he had to make it through dinner.

* * *

_One week after arrival to Mount Myoboku_

Naruto sat down to another dinner of bugs. Naruto lasted two days before his ramen supply was depleted and another two days until his stomach demanded he eats something. At first, Naruto noticed that the taste wasn't too bad. Actually, the bugs tasted fairly decent. The taste, however, wasn't the issue. It was either the crunch of legs or the slimy lack thereof.

" **I don't think I can watch you go through this again. Cut me off."** came the inner command. In truth, it was closer to a plea, but Naruto obliged regardless. Naruto cut the link between the Fox and his vision, but he left his hearing linked in case of important conversations.

"Okay Naruto, You've been working your strength and speed for a week, you're as ready to begin taijutsu training as you'll ever be," Ma said around a spoonful of worms.

" _It's about time! I'm tired of going to bed exhausted without actually fighting anything!"_ Naruto thought in victory.

"Now we can start actually pushing you," came Pa's amused voice. "First, let's see how much you remember of your lectures."

Jiraiya spoke next, "What are the three ways to fight?"

Naruto wracked his brain for only a moment. "You can fight to learn, you can fight to subdue, and you can fight…"

" **To kill Kit. You fight to kill. That's the only way you SHOULD fight!"**

"... to kill." Naruto felt his eye twitch. " _I knew that! I just hesitated!"_

" **Never hesitate. Not to answer a stupid question, and especially not to kill. Else you end up the one that's dead."**

"Good job, my boy!"

"Don't get him excited over something so easy, Pa! He's not an idiot!" Ma screamed over the table.

"Don't lecture me on how to teach, woman!" was the heated response. "Besides, there's only one idiot here, and it sure ain't Naruto!" This, of course, started an argument.

"Looks like I'm taking over from here…" Jiraiya mumbled in annoyance. "Okay, Naruto, what are our priorities?"

Naruto knew this one immediately, "Family, Duty, Honor."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow at the quick response. "And what do those words mean, Naruto?"

"I will protect those that I care about. I will do my duty as my mission commands. And I will… honor…" Naruto trailed off on the last part.

"I will bring honor to my name in both word and action," Jiraiya finished for him.

"I don't really care about the honor part as long as I manage the first two! I'm sure honor will happen if I'm good at the first ones anyway," Naruto said nonchalantly as he bit into another crunchy beetle.

" **I really hate hearing that you know."**

" _Well, I like these ones the best."_

"And what is our stance on orders?" Jiraiya asked his godson.

"Orders given mean orders completed," Naruto answered hesitantly. "But what if my orders put Family in danger?"

"Then," Jiraiya looked at Naruto with all the seriousness in the world, "you make a choice. You choose between Family and Duty, and then you hope that Honor follows in the wake your choice. Pray that the choice never has to be made."

Naruto gulped with nothing in his mouth as the implications dawned on him.

Before long, the two elderly toads stopped bickering to eat in peace. Pa ended the argument with a grumbled 'I was talking about Jiraiya boy anyway.' The rest of the meal passed amicably, and soon the table was empty. Before anyone could rise to clean, however, there was a knock at the door before it swung open.

A dog-sized toad entered. "Naruto, the Great Elder Toad Gamamaru wishes to see you."

" **GAMAMARU?"** The Fox's question felt like a shout.

"Oh-ho! What an honor! You better get going, Naruto!" Jiraiya gave his student a slap on the shoulder. "We'll clean up here, don't worry!"

Naruto nodded and waved as he left, running after the toad. Jiraiya looked to his two old friends. "He's not getting a prophecy, is he?"

"I wouldn't bet on it, no. He's still a bit young. the Great Elder would let him live out his childhood before dropping a prophecy on him," Ma told him.

Jiraiya was then heavily confused on the meaning of the summons.

* * *

"I have brought the boy, Great Elder," the toad that had fetched Naruto announced upon entry to a large room.

The room was large, with a massive vaulted roof with equally massive pillars all around. There were three other toads surrounding a hulking, ancient looking toad.

"Hmm? Yes, yes I am aware that you are in fact a boy," came the quavery response.

"No, Elder, I have brought Naruto for you."

"Yes, I need to see the boy."

Naruto spoke up before things could continue. "I'm here! Watcha need, gramps?"

The toad that escorted Naruto spun on his heel. "You watch your tone! This is the Great Elder Gamamaru!"

"Naruto, it is so good to see you! Please, come closer child," beckoned the wrinkled massive toad.

Naruto stuck his tongue out at the indignant toad escort and walked forward. "Hiya!" Naruto called out cheerily.

"Ahh, youth. Such a wonderful thing," the Elder toad chuckled to himself. "We will not be speaking here, child."

Suddenly, Naruto was stumbling in the dark confines of his mind. He knew that if he looked up he'd see the familiar bars of the Kyuubi's prison. What Naruto didn't expect, however, was the booming yell and crash.

" **UNCLE GAMAMARU!"** the area shook with the volume. Naruto looked up in time to see the Kyuubi slam his head into the bars, the center of his skull in front of a large standing figure.

The toad Great Elder stood, looking much younger now, with his hand extended. The webbed appendage rested lightly on the Kyuubi's head. "It has been a long, long time, Kurama."

" **I have missed you. Can you break me free of this wretched human prison, uncle?"**

Naruto could do nothing but stand and stare in awe.

"Oh come now, you're jinchuuriki isn't so bad is he?" the younger, stronger looking toad asked with a laugh.

" **All humans are alike, uncle. I know this. YOU know this. We all came to you after the humans destroyed our homes, and you've said you watched them do it through your ball."**

"My child, you do not burn the orchard to clear a dozen dying trees. Your father and I taught you this many, many years ago."

" **My father is dead, and humans are not trees. My love for the forest and trees no longer extends to humans."**

The toad looked sad. Weary. "My boy Kurama, you have grown to know only hatred. I have been keeping an eye on you, much like your siblings. You've had no one to speak to, to alleviate your anger since we last met. Not until Naruto here."

" **My hatred makes me strong, uncle. Never before have I been more feared!"** the Fox snarled his response.

"And never again will you be loved if this continues."

Silence.

"Allow me to help you, my child."

" **I need no man's help!"**

"Then it is a good thing I'm a toad. Now get your stubborn ass down here! I swear that all this time hasn't helped your stubbornness."

The Kyuubi bowed his head once more, and once again the Elder toad laid a webbed hand on the furry head. The Sage held his other arm out, away from the caged Fox. Naruto could see a black liquid-looking substance gather on the fur of the Fox and move towards the Sage. The dark liquid gathered above the Elder toad's outstretched hand and formed a massive orb of swirling darkness.

The Elder stepped away from the cage and held his other hand aloft. In this hand formed another massive ball, this one a pale green in color and likely toad oil. The orbs met in a slow yet dazzling display of a yin and yang symbol, the two growing as they intermixed. The conjoined orbs flew skyward, and they were lit aflame by a fire jutsu that was also used by the Sage.

"Am I allowed to ask what's going on?" Naruto interrupted the silence that followed the mystical display.

" **You brought the kit with you?"** the Kyuubi asked in confusion.

"I had to," started the toad. "It's his mind we're in after all."

"So… was that a yes to an explanation? Or…"

"Naruto, much of this story will come from your large friend here," Naruto was told. "As for me, I have looked after and loved him for many years. I just took away all the hatred he was holding for all this time. I took away the damaging hatred, and now you have to heal him. He was not always hated for merely existing."

"Okay… but I thought you were super OLD!" Naruto pointed accusingly.

There was a long silence, broken by the Sage's deep (and annoyingly young) laugh. "You learn to mold yourself and your surroundings in a mindscape after centuries of meditation. It's not really that hard, I'm sure you can learn."

"Psh, I don't have to worry about looking old!" Naruto responded.

"Regardless, my time here is short. I will see you upon your return," the toad Elder departed with a final smile and wave towards the Fox.

"Okay, Fox—"

" **Kurama."**

"Huh?"

" **Kurama. It is the name my father gave me, and I would prefer if you used it."**

"Oh! Does this mean we're friends now?"

A chuckle. " **Don't go pushing your luck too far now, kit. It's just my name."**

"Yeah. That your father gave you. You wanna talk about that?" Naruto felt a bit wary. He heard no malice in Kurama's voice. It was more… teasing?

Kurama took a deep breath. " **Well, seeing as it is technically my beginning it's a good place to start."** Naruto sat down for the story. " **Do you know of the Sage of Six Paths?"**

"Yeah, Ero-sensei told me the story all the time as a kid. Why?"

" **Because the man is no mere legend. He's also my father,"** this was met with a very, very long pause.

"I didn't think you knew how to joke! This is great!" Naruto laughed aloud.

" **I make no jokes, kit. The Sage of Six Paths created all of the nine bijuu from the power divided from the Juubi. The ten-tails."**

"Wait what? There's a ten-tails?"

" **Not anymore, weren't you listening?"** Kurama scoffed. " **Anyway, we were given life not long before my father's death."**

"I'm sorry," Naruto interrupted quietly.

" **Do not apologize. It is in the past,"** Kurama responded with the softest tone Naruto had ever heard from him. Still gruff, yes. But it was an improvement!

" **We were given temples scattered throughout the land. Beautiful homes that we lived in and from them we protected the surrounding area. Humans used to worship and thank us for protecting them."**

"That sounds awesome! What changed?"

" **You need to learn to listen to a story better, stop interrupting me!"** there was an angry huff. " **The humans that had learned to harness their chakra started using it for evil. We, the nine bijuu, rose up to oppose them, and we squashed rebellions like flies. Unfortunately, our raw power scared the humans, and their fear led to mobs of people destroying our homes. The temples built for us by our father. With no homes, we wandered. Eventually, the humans started sealing us, and this horrible chain has started. The hatred I harbored for your kind has clouded my memory and decisions, but I am better now thanks to my uncle."**

"Is he really your uncle? He's a toad."

" **Of everything I just said, that's your first question?"**

Naruto looked at the ground guiltily. "I mean, I already know that now I have to restore the temples, but I didn't know about your uncle, so… I asked."

" **Not by blood. He was my father's best friend… Naruto, look at me."**

Naruto did as he was asked, and he was met with a pair of fierce red eyes.

" **Thank you. If you happen to fail at restoring my temple, the knowledge that you care enough to try means more than you can imagine."**

"What are friends for?"

" **Stop pushing the friendship thing."**

"No."

* * *

The next morning, Naruto sat in the middle of the training field meditating. He had about ten minutes before his first real day of taijutsu training started, so he wanted to speak with Kurama again.

Naruto entered his mindscape once more. He preferred to speak face to face when he could.

" **Back again? I'm out of stories for now, you know."**

"I'm not here for stories!" Naruto retorted. "I wanna hear your thoughts on us learning to fight together."

Kurama thought for a minute. " **When you access my chakra, you will gain claws. Either of chakra or natural claws, you will have them. I suggest you learn a taijutsu style to accommodate them."**

"How much chakra are we talking here?" Naruto asked curiously.

" **At the moment I am comfortable giving you two tails worth of my chakra. Your body still can't handle any more. I plan on giving you a tail for every year you train, though."**

"You're already planning out my birthday presents? Your such a great friend!"

" **Still not happening, kit."**

Naruto snapped his fingers. "Darn."

" **Go now, you have company."**

* * *

Back in the waking world, Naruto opened his eyes to see Jiraiya, Ma, and Pa walking towards him. Well, Jiraiya was walking. Ma and Pa were hitching rides on Jiraiya's shoulders. Naruto also noticed the scroll they were carrying.

"Well, Naruto my boy! Looks like the Great Elder has taken a liking to you!" Pa called out when the trio got close enough.

"When he heard of our plans to train you like a toad, he fetched one of his personal scrolls for us to teach you," Ma continued. "Very fitting if you ask me."

"What is it?" Naruto asked them as he stood up.

"You, Naruto, will be the first in centuries to learn the Fox Fist!" Jiraiya told his student with abundant enthusiasm.

"I think I can guess why," Naruto said while smiling ear to ear.

" **It is convenient indeed."**

"Now, the form is heavily dependent on lightning-fast claw/knife strikes, so you'll need these," Jiraiya lectured as he tossed a pair of weighted gloves at Naruto.

There was a pair of audible poofs, and suddenly there were two more Jiraiyas. "You'll be sparring with these guys as Ma, Pa, and I study the rest of this scroll."

"I can't spar with bunshin, I won't be able to—" Naruto was cut off by a sharp whack to the back of his head by one of the two bunshin.

"No, Naruto. We are _Kage_ bunshin. I can wail on you all I want!" One of the clones said cheekily.

"That's so awesome! Can I learn that one?" Naruto yelled in excitement.

"How about we make it your first jutsu next year?" the other clone answered.

Naruto, while still unhappy with the compromise, nodded in agreement.

"Now Naruto, we can finally begin the first phase of your training. Fighting to learn!" Both clones said in unison.

Naruto took a stance as he heard a familiar laugh. " **My old Fox Fist, eh? Kit, you're in for one hell of a year… I take that back."** Naruto took the first hit of many for the day. " **Kit, you are fucked."**


	4. Chapter 4

Naruto stood with his sensei at the edge of the cliff he had first arrived on. The sheer drop no longer scared him, and he stared down at the lake far below him. Naruto was ten years old now, halfway to his eleventh year. The last three years on Mount Myoboku had been tough. Grueling, even. The results, though, Naruto would never complain about. The blond stood a few inches below Jiraiya's shoulder now, and the two stood side by side as Naruto remembered the last three years of training.

* * *

_End of Naruto's taijutsu training_

Naruto ducked under a straight kick from a clone of his sensei and twisted into a spinning heel kick aimed at the clone's head. The kick was blocked, and Naruto slashed at the clone's middle with a kunai in hand.

"Naruto, fight to subdue," came Jiraiya's order.

There was an immediate change in Naruto. His movements became more violent and direct. Naruto rolled under a chakra powered kick and came up slicing at the hamstring of the clone. The clone jumped off its stationary leg and flipped behind the still crouched Naruto. Naruto stood, turned, and saw the wide swing coming at him. The kunai in his hand moved across his body to stop the wild punch. The blade slipped between the bones in the clone's arm and it popped out of existence. Naruto, staying true to his training, moved flawlessly into a spin that would have snapped the arm at the elbow.

"One more time. Fight to kill," was his order as yet another clone came into existence. Naruto had gone through the various orders for several hours, and he was starting to feel gassed. Naruto stood facing the clone, his kunai at the ready and thinking through the quick kill that had to follow.

" **Use my chakra, kit. You are still allowed three times today. One tail should suffice."**

Naruto's only response was to quickly form the cloak while jumping away from the attacking clone. His whiskers grew thicker, his eyes became more foxlike, and his nails morphed themselves into claws. Lastly, a bubbling red cloak of chakra enveloped him, adding a tail and even longer claws made out of pure, burning chakra. Naruto no longer felt the effect of the 2.5X gravity seal.

Naruto threw the kunai at blinding speeds towards the heart of the clone. The clone turned and narrowly avoided the projectile, as Naruto knew it would. Even though his sensei gave the clones hardly any power they retained little less than jonin level reflexes. According to Jiraiya at least. Naruto blurred behind the clone in an instant, his right clawed hand making its way into the back of his opponent. His left hand curved its claws into where the head would have been had it not popped from the initial hit.

" _Thank you, Kurama,"_ Naruto thought to his still reluctant friend.

" **Meh. You're getting better."**

"That's enough, Naruto. You're getting better," Jiraiya said as he plopped a hand on his godson's shoulder.

" **It means more coming from me, trust me!"**

Naruto laughed to himself, "Thank you, Pervy-Sage."

"At least call me sensei when we're training!" Jiraiya griped. "Anyways, Ma, Pa, and I have decided that you should be set on taijutsu for now. You're getting pretty good, Naruto."

"Really? So I can learn jutsu now?!" Naruto jumped up and yelled.

"After lunch, okay?" Jiraiya attempted to placate the excited blond.

"I get to learn kage bunshin first right? You promised!"

"Yes, yes you do. How about a lecture on it while we wait for the lunch bell?"

Naruto let loose a long, exasperated groan. "I hate lectures!"

"You'll like this one, I'll explain the uses of kage bunshin."

"Lecture away, you old perv…"

Shaking his head again, Jiraiya sat down with his student and started. "The Kage Bunshin is a Jonin level technique because of how much chakra it uses. Without concentrating on the specific chakra distribution, a single clone you make will have half your chakra. Three clones would each get a quarter of your chakra and you'd keep the last quarter for yourself and so on."

"I got most of that, actually! What if it's different for me because of Kurama's chakra like the henge?" Naruto asked.

"You're better off asking him about that, I have no idea."

" _Kurama? Did you hear my question?"_

" **Unfortunately. I'm trying to sleep in here, you know. And I have no idea, but don't worry about getting too exhausted with this jutsu. You've got enough chakra for several hundred clones yourself, and with me helping you I can't even guess how high the count goes."** Kurama grumbled.

"Kurama says I won't have to worry about getting tired, even if he isn't helping me," Naruto told his sensei. "He also said let him sleep." He then cut off the link to his hearing.

"Well, that's reassuring at least. Anyways, there are a lot of uses for shadow clones," Jiraiya continued. "As you've seen, they can be used to teach, spar, or help you out in a fight. The other, more important detail though… you get their memories when they disperse."

"What? No way, that's so cool!"

"Yup, that makes them perfect for spying and scouting too. You can send a few into a base and have the place memorized in half an hour."

"I can also make them listen to lectures for me!"

Jiraiya smacked his blond student on the top of his head. "They aren't for slacking off, Naruto!"

"Ow! I meant like two at a time! Or they listen while I spar! They could do a bunch of learning for me while I train, you know!" Naruto defended himself vehemently.

Jiraiya froze in thought, ideas hatching in his mind and running wild. "That, my blond little twerp, is not a bad idea at all…"

Suddenly the two heard the lunch bell start ringing. The two started towards the cottage, now both used to the bug diet. Naruto halted his sensei, though, and pointed an accusing finger at the old man. "I bet you've used kage bunshin to help in your research, haven't you Pervy Sage!"

Naruto then took off laughing for lunch as his sensei lay in the dirt with a case of severe blood loss erupting from his nose. 

* * *

_The end of Naruto's ninjutsu training_

"That's enough, Naruto boy. Give me your lightest Great Breakthrough to clean our little patch of trees of debris and come sit with me," Pa instructed as Naruto bent at the waist breathing heavily. Naruto also happened to be standing stuck to the side of a large tree, the same way he had done almost all of his ninjutsu training.

Naruto did so and joined the old toad. "Can I drop the leaves now?"

"Yes, yes you may."

Two leaves dropped from the surface of Naruto's headband, one more from the back of his head, and four from the back of each of his arms. After the first month of training, Naruto had been told to add a leaf after each month to increase his chakra control. Naruto let out a sigh of relief for the break.

"I think that does it for your ninjutsu training," Fukasaku stated.

"Yes, sensei," was Naruto's response. Naruto had learned that during training there was little room for jokes, but his free time was his to do with as he pleased. He wasn't too sure what this counted as though.

"Now Naruto, do you know why I only taught you so many jutsu?" Pa asked slowly.

"Something about me mastering a few instead of half-assing a bunch?" was the hesitant response.

The old toad chuckled. "Something along those lines, yes. Now, Since today is the last that you'll focus on ninjutsu, I want you to list me the ones you know and show me the hand signs you've cut them down to."

Naruto worked every jutsu he was assigned until he didn't need every hand sign to use them. He was told that hand signs were just signals that showed your chakra what the brain wanted from an order. Eventually, you didn't need all the signs and the chakra just 'remembered the correct path'.

"Great Breakthrough. I don't have enough control to downsize it into just a Breakthrough. Two of the three required signs," Naruto flashed through the seals as he spoke. "Swamp of the Underworld. I've cut it down to a single seal. Shadow Clones, one single-handed seal."

"That one's your favorite isn't it?" Pa asked while smiling knowingly.

"Speaking of, the one studying fuuinjutsu with Ero-sensei just popped. He says we have ten minutes before dinner is ready."

"Hurry up with your list then, Ma will kill us if we're late again!" Fukasaku urged.

"Alright, alright! Shuriken shadow clone, I just learned that one and haven't cut any out yet. I know both the Double Suicide Decapitation and the Hiding-like-a-Mole techniques. I can perform Air Bullets myself and with Kurama's help I can make small Drilling Air Bullets."

"Good. Don't be satisfied until you can perform them all seal-less understand? I believe you are close with your Shadow Clones. Now let's get moving!" Pa then hopped to Naruto's shoulder as the boy took off towards the house.

"Will I be increasing my gravity seal to 3X soon?" Naruto asked as he walked.

"Quite soon, I believe. Although for the next two days, you will focus on meditating with the Great Toad Elder and Kurama while Jiraiya runs an errand."

" **It's about time I got to speak with uncle Gamamaru again."**

"Kurama will enjoy that," Naruto noted aloud as the house came into view. "What's the errand?"

"Jiraiya has to fetch us something to further your training. Your time with us grows short, Naruto. Your last year or so here will focus on preparing your mind for the life of a shinobi. Your body is ready enough to be a genin at the very least."

* * *

_Two days later_

"Okay Naruto, I've brought back someone for you to meet!" Jiraiya exclaimed as Naruto, Ma, and Pa walked into the training area.

"I have to meet someone to continue my training?"

"Not quite, dear," Ma answered as she joined Pa near a tree.

"I would like to introduce you to Fujita!" Jiraiya called out and gestured to a wide oak tree.

From behind the tree stepped a dirty man, a bruise mixed in with the dirt of his face. "This is him? Your student I have to beat for my freedom?" The man smirked.

"Our good friend here used to be part of a bandit group. Unfortunately for him, that group met me," Jiraiya crossed his arms. "I pulled him off the young girl he was raping. Luckily he had already killed her parents so they didn't have to watch from their spot. Their spot on the dinner table next to him."

Naruto's eyes narrowed and seemed to fill with fiery hatred. The air stilled, the birds stopped their songs, and Jiraiya spat on the feet on the disgusting man. Naruto didn't know it, but he was unconsciously leaking his Killing Intent. Jiraiya took note and made plans to teach that skill during the next year as well.

"I told him that I had already killed or captured the rest of his group, and all he had to do for his freedom was defeat my student. You, Naruto," Jiraiya turned to his pupil. "This is your final test to see if you're ready for the last year of your ninja training."

"A bandit? Can he use chakra?" Naruto asked incredulously, his furious gaze never leaving the still smirking man.

"I don't need anything more than my hands and a knife to take you out, brat!" Fujita foolishly exclaimed. The simple bandit assumed that the bloodlust he was feeling came from the white-haired ninja that took out his whole gang and prepared to butcher the blond child.

"Fine," Naruto responded as he drew a single kunai and took an offensive Fox Fist stance. "Orders, Jiraiya-sensei?"

Jiraiya knew that Naruto had slipped into his business mode. This kind of respect only emerged when the boy was serious about something. Usually training. "Leave Kurama out of it, you have to do this on your own. No ninjutsu, you fight with your hands."

"Understood, Sensei."

"You're making this too easy old man! I'm not complaining, but that's a lot of handicaps for some kid!"

Naruto's bloodlust leaked out even more, the Killing Intent being the only noticeable response to the man's words.

Jiraiya silently praised his student on the reserved reaction. He would learn to control the KI soon enough. "In that case, Naruto, fight to kill. Begin."

This time Jiraiya noticed the almost imperceptible response. Naruto gripped his kunai tight enough to whiten his knuckles, too tightly for what his style called for. "Understood, Sensei."

Naruto was not prepared for the order. He had expected to subdue the man at the most since there was no real reason to kill him. The man made a clumsy swing with the knife provided for him, and Naruto ducked but made no move to counter.

" **What are you doing! Strike him down!"** Kurama called from within Naruto.

Another wild swing came in for Naruto's head, and Naruto defaulted to a basic maneuver while his brain fought to come to terms with killing the man. Naruto's kunai slipped between the bones in Fujita's arm, and Naruto spun sharply using his free arm to snap the bandit's elbow.

Naruto lost the grip on his kunai, but the man fell to his knees in pain. Naruto knew he was subdued… but those weren't his orders. Naruto had to kill this man.

" **Do not hesitate to kill. Kill this criminal and become a man, Naruto. Become a SHINOBI!"**

Naruto dashed forward and grasped the sobbing man's head in both hands. With a sudden, violent twist, Naruto went from looking at the man's bald spot to watching the life bleed out of his eyes.

Naruto let Fujita the bandit slump over onto his side. Lips trembling, Naruto pulled his kunai free, cleaned it on the dead man's shirt as he was told to do in lectures, and returned it to his pouch.

Naruto turned to look to his three teachers, steeling his voice, his face, and his heart. "Objective complete, Sensei."

Jiraiya stood motionless for a moment, his face hard. "You missed two opportunities to kill him with a counter. You could have ended the fight with a clean, silent kill before he struck out the first time. The resulting noise from your fight may have alerted your enemy, dooming you and your team. Your first counter was also designed to subdue, not to kill. That was sloppy execution of your orders."

Naruto nodded shakily before managing a broken, "Y-yes, Sensei."

"However, you are unharmed and your target is dead. Mission complete, Naruto." Then Jiraiya allowed his face to show his sympathy.

"Yes, Sensei," Naruto spit out once more, not breaking from his professional stance.

"The mission is over Naruto. Take the mask off. Now." Fukasaku ordered, breaking to see the boy he had grown to care for hurting like he was.

Naruto let out a single sob as he fell to his knees, faced away from his first kill and his teachers. Ma and Pa gave Jiraiya a look before summoning a larger toad to dispose of the body. The two old sages then took their leave, leaving sensei and student.

Jiraiya moved to Naruto's front, pulling his godson's tear-stained face into his chest. "I'm here, Naruto."

"Sensei—" Naruto started between sobs.

"No, Naruto. You don't need the man who became your sensei. Right now, I am the man who called you my son for six years. Right now you need a father… and I am here, Naruto."

Another loud, broken sob. Jiraiya felt his own heart break with it. "I, I just… DAD!" Naruto spent the next several minutes crying on his father's chest and shoulder.

Eventually, the tears stopped, and Naruto merely sat in the embrace of someone who genuinely loved him. "I'm okay now, Sensei."

Jiraiya had to admit that he didn't like being called sensei as much anymore. "You did well, Naruto. I am so, so very proud of you."

Silence.

"Do you know why young toads have to make their first kills before they are considered real warriors?" Jiraiya asked, now sitting back to back with Naruto.

"So they don't break down like I just did in the field?" Naruto responded slowly, wiping his nose on his orange sleeve.

"That too, I guess. But the main reason is for understanding. Knowledge." the Sannin told him. "A ninja follows his orders. Whether those orders are to save a life or to take one. And what do you believe you just did here?"

"I took a life. I took a life when I could have captured and imprisoned him."

"No, Naruto. That man was cruel. Guilty, and headed for execution anyway. You have saved many lives today. Do you remember what I found him doing?"

A grunt was the only affirmation Jiraiya received. "He would have done that very same thing countless more times of no one stopped him. You saved people from that fate."

Still, Naruto remained quiet.

"I know you have a good heart, Naruto. A heart that hates taking lives. Just remember that if taking a guilty life saves both time and, more importantly, innocents… take the life."

"How will I know if the person is guilty?" Naruto asked.

"For now, you'll only follow orders. Until you learn to judge for yourself, I only want you to follow the orders of your superiors okay?"

Naruto grunted again.

Jiraiya stood. "Take the rest of the day off. Tomorrow we'll start combining everything you've learned and maybe picking up a few more key skills. And we'll work on your stealth. Tomorrow morning remind to bump your gravity to 3X and we'll start your last year on the mountain."

Naruto agreed and laid down in the middle of the training area. When Naruto was alone, Kurama decided to speak up.

" **You will be strong one day, kit. You have earned my respect."**

" _Thanks, Kurama, but I don't really feel like talking right now."_

" **Well, I do, so tough shit. Spill your guts to me, kit. I'm feeling nice today."**

" _Why do I feel like a monster Kurama?"_

There was a deep laugh from the Fox. " **Naruto, if every killer was a monster, every shinobi village would be a fearsome version of hell!"**

" _Exactly… what makes me different than people like Fujita? People who kill… I just kill for someone other than myself."_

" **The old me would have encouraged you to ONLY kill for yourself."**

" _Old you was a jerk."_

" **I'm not the nicest now, either. Regardless, there is a difference between killing and murder, kit."**

" _Explain?"_

" **You can save future victims from murder by killing the guilty party. You can kill to save, but you can only murder to satisfy. I have killed many murderous humans when I still protected this land."**

" _Well, with me you'll still protect people. That's what I plan to do. As Hokage, I'll protect everyone I can!"_

" **I truly admire your fire, kit. Just remember that even as Hokage, you will have to become a killer to stop the murderers."**

" _Thank you, Kurama. I feel a bit better."_

" **Good. I do not have many friends, and I hate seeing the few I do have upset."**

And Naruto smiled.

* * *

_Present day, Mt. Myoboku's edge_

Naruto remembered all the good and bad times he'd had here as he took the first step towards the wilderness below and beyond the mountain that had been his home for three years. The last year had yielded Naruto with a few more tricks and the few inches that brought him closer to his sensei's shoulder. The high protein diet of bugs must have been good for something after all.

Naruto had achieved greater mastery over his kage bunshin. He could create clones seal-less if he had to, but he still preferred the half ram seal. Naruto could use hundreds at a time to train.

"Here's the plan, Naruto. We will spend half a year making our way home. Towards Konoha."

"Are we really that far away, Pervy Sage? Or do you want to stop off at a few hot springs and…"

"It's for your training okay!" Jiraiya interrupted quickly. "And if I decide to conduct some research I'll do so privately, thank you very much!"

"Sure, whatever you say you old perv!" Naruto laughed as the pair reached the start of the lake.

"Say, looks like you didn't have to stop this around eh?" Jiraiya mentioned.

"I'd be embarrassed if I did."

" **Hell at this point I'D be embarrassed if you did."** Naruto gave a small smile in acknowledgment to Kurama's version of a joke.

"What type of training will I be receiving, Sensei?" Naruto asked after a bit of walking over the lake.

"I want you to finish mastering the Rasengan. I know you can manage it with clones, but don't consider it mastered until you can get one in each hand with little more than a thought."

"Hmmm, alright Sensei."

"Also, while we travel I want you constantly working on chakra control. It's _still_ your worst attribute you know," the white-haired hermit poked fun at his student.

"Who can blame me? I've got more chakra than even you do now, PLUS the Kyuubi in me!" Naruto jabbed back. It has been a sore point lately on who had the most chakra now, along with the difficulty Naruto had controlling it.

"ANYWAY," Jiraiya tried to get back on track, "I want you to travel with a kunai chakra balanced on each shoulder. Eventually I want them spinning, got it?"

Naruto nodded silently, already thinking about the difficulty of this new challenge. That had to be a jonin exercise, right? Damn, he was getting good.

" **Don't get a big head, kit. You can still only use four tails of my chakra."**

" _I'll get to five before too long, just you wait!"_

"We'll also exterminate any bandits and bandit camps we come across. I know you hate to do it, but I need you to become more accustomed to taking lives."

Naruto walked in silence for a bit, the shore getting closer by the step.

" **It is for the best, kit. It will make you strong and save innocents at the same time."**

" _You don't need to remind me, I just dislike the thought."_

"Part of me knows that you're talking to the fox right now, right? Probably about not liking the idea of killing people?" Jiraiya asked.

It was true of course, but Naruto had killed three more times since his first. It had been easier every time, but it always left a sour taste in his mouth, especially after he dropped his 'mission mask'.

Jiraiya didn't wait for a response. "It's good that you dislike killing. I never want you to feel joy or satisfaction from killing. You only kill out of necessity, never in order to satisfy yourself."

"I know, Pervy Sage." Naruto then asked Kurama, " _Didn't you say something like that after my first kill?"_

" **Probably. I learned my philosophy from uncle Gamamaru. He taught Fukasaku and Shima who then taught your master. It only makes sense."**

"Well, it's a long road home, might as well get moving!" Naruto yelled as he took to the trees.

"Oh Naruto, didn't I tell you the worst of your suffering starts when we get back?"

Naruto slipped on the next branch he hit, stumbling to regain his balance.

"Yes, you will have to go through… a semester at the _ACADEMY_! MUAHAHA!"

For miles around, Naruto's scream could be heard.

* * *

The large, red gates of Konoha greeted both sensei and student. Naruto had shed his orange jumpsuit in the heat in favor of a light-orange, tight t-shirt. The baggy dark pants had a single orange stripe down the side, in order to stay true to Naruto's favored color scheme. All of his supplies had been sealed into storage scrolls of his own making, so Naruto traveled light.

"Ahh, these gates always make me feel at home," Jiraiya stretched as he approached the check-in booth. "Kotetsu! Are you asleep!"

"Lord Jiraiya!" came a voice from the booth.

"Bah, drop that 'Lord' stuff, who do you think I am Izumi?" the sannin laughed as he leaned on the window sill. "Where's your lazy partner?"

"Kotetsu is running a few errands for Lord Third at the encryption division I believe."

"He's not smart enough to decode a cereal box crossword, what's he doing there?" Jiraiya asked in feigned disbelief.

The man Naruto now knew was named Izumi let out a loud bark of a laugh. "He's just grabbing papers! Whew, that was a good one, you should put that in a book!"

"I'll think about it. Anyway, Naruto and I will head in now, gotta go see how my old Sensei is holding up you know?" and Jiraiya led Naruto into the village.

"Naruto?"

* * *

_Hokage's office_

"Old Man!" Naruto yelled as he burst into the Hokage's office.

"I'm either dreaming or Kurenai got drunk and is slinging genjutsu again! Naruto, is that really you?" Hiruzen laughed as he embraced the child.

"It's been a while, Sensei," Jiraiya walked in smiling.

"Oh I finally got my boys back," the old Hokage mumbled clasping Jiraiya's shoulder over Naruto's head. "Well, how did it go? Did you get stronger Naruto?"

"I'll be wearing your hat in no time, Old Man!" Naruto yelled as he jumped back.

The two adults laughed before talking about the small things they each missed. Naruto butted in where he could, but as soon as the talk shifted to his enrollment to the Academy, Naruto balked.

"No getting out of it, I'm afraid," Hiruzen grumbled. "All of my genin have to attend at least a semester before attempting the graduation exam. On the bright side, you only have to wait for three months!"

"Three months? And then I can become a chunin?" Naruto asked hopefully.

The two men laughed long and loud at the boy. Jiraiya spoke up first. "Why don't you head on back to the apartment, Naruto. Make sure everything is where it should be. Then get ready for your first day tomorrow!"

Naruto groaned as he left.

Jiraiya chuckled again before turning to his own Sensei. "He wasn't kidding, you know. He could definitely pass the chunin exam."

"Oh really? What makes you say that?" the Third asked with a small smile. He knew from experience how much a sensei could overestimate a student's abilities.

"He's got a pair of earth and wind release jutsu mastered, the shadow clones _and_ your shuriken variation, a supporting technique or two, his Rasengan is battle tested and ready, deep schooling in the ancient shinobi ways, a good grip on fuuinjutsu, and around two dozen kills under his belt. All bandits but two, a pair of nuke-nin genin I let him take after I finished their chunin leader." Jiraiya listed as if reading from a script. In truth, the Sannin rehearsed his speech to impress his sensei.

"You trained him as a shinobi of the old way didn't you."

"As a toad warrior, so yes."

"But, he's so young, Jiraiya…"

"And so, so powerful, Sensei. I had to make sure he had a grasp on what his power is and when to use it. For all of us."

There was silence as the two men sat in thought.

"Is he a good person, Jiraiya?" Hiruzen asked quietly.

"One of the best I've ever known. Definitely, the best I've trained. Minato would be proud, sensei."

"Then That is all I could ask of you. You've done an amazing job, Jiraiya. As a sensei AND as a father."

Jiraiya smiled sadly at the ground. "You were right, you know. I definitely prefer being a father to being a sensei. And my pride for him did end up surpassing any annoyance he caused. It did years ago, actually." The two men looked at each other and smiled, memories seeming to surface like hungry fish. "What's your plan placement-wise now that you know about his skill?"

Hiruzen took a deep puff of his pipe. "Well, I still want him on a genin team. I want him to go through the whole process, slightly so he doesn't feel like he cheated."

A short laugh from Jiraiya. "Yup, He'd be 'honorable' enough to feel that way, believe me."

"I think I want to make him the focal point of a strike team. There are another few promising students that plan to take this next exam I could pair him with. And I think I'll put him under Kakashi since you can take your spy network back."

"Ughgh I forgot about that. Probably no chance I could get him to keep it?" Jiraiya asked hopefully.

"Nope!" a large, shit-eating grin adorned the Hokage's face. "He absolutely hates it!"

"Fine. Might as well go break the 'good' news to him. I'll keep your team assignment plans to myself though, don't worry." Jiraiya turned to leave.

"Thank you, Jiraiya," was the Third's response. "And Jiraiya?" the white-haired man turned, "It's good to have you home."


	5. Chapter 5

Naruto had one stop to make before he went back to his old apartment. He weaved through the crowds of shopping people, the masses oblivious as to who he was. Many of the civilians walking around had children with them. All varying in age, but all also happy with their parents. Naruto shook his head to ward off any darker thoughts.

" **Do not concern yourself with them, kit. You have already become more than they could ever hope to be."**

" _Ahh yes, that makes me feel so much better! Thank you, Kurama!"_ Naruto thought back sarcastically.

The road and alleys felt so familiar, as if Naruto had never left. Every turn was the same, every nook and cranny he used to hide from his uncle. Kakashi always did manage to find him, though. Probably cheated. Naruto knew now that Kakashi probably cheated. Somehow.

Before long, Naruto was there. The alley where his life changed. Where his life could have ended. He took in the innocent-looking surrounding, trying its best to appear as if nothing had ever happened at all. Naruto took note of the dumpster near the entrance. It was the last place he had seen his animal companion. Dark thoughts of vengeance threatened Naruto, but he knew that the two ninja were likely already dead.

" **You know, kit, this is technically where we first met. I didn't take you for such a romantic."**

A smile brought Naruto out of his own head. "Shut up, you old fleabag."

"Talking to yourself, Naruto?" The voice came from behind the blond.

"Eh, s'better than talking to you," Naruto continued smiling as he turned around.

Kakashi stood at the entrance of the alleyway, orange book in hand, his mask and headband leaving only a single eye visible. Naruto knew he was smiling behind that dark blue mask. His uncle's trademark 'eye-smile' gave him away every time.

"It's good to see you again, brat," the masked man said as he ruffled his nephew's hair.

"How'd you even know I was back?"

The two started down the alley towards the old apartment Naruto stayed in with Jiraiya.

"I'm a ninja, what'd you expect?"

"You know that excuse won't work when I'm giving you orders as Hokage right?" the foxy grin that accompanied the question made the older man chuckle.

"You must think you've gotten pretty strong to be talking like that."

"Stronger than you, I bet! All I've ever seen you do is read and get yelled at by girls!" Naruto accused.

"Men with enough skill usually don't need it. Their reputation wins battles for them," Kakashi winked his only visible eye.

"You read that stuff in your book?" Naruto asked skeptically. His uncle was never that 'wise' sounding before he left. "What are you reading anyway?"

"Oh, nothing of any importance, I assure you," Kakashi tucked the orange book away as the apartment complex came into view. "Let's head in, okay?"

Naruto was suspicious of how defensive his uncle came across about his book, but he complied anyway. 

* * *

Everything was just the way Naruto remembered it. The small kitchenette still had a deserted look to it, and the living room still consisted of a beat-up couch and old chair. The whole place seemed like it had been cleaned recently, likely Kakashi's doing. Naruto dropped his bag near the door and belly-flopped onto his couch.

"Ohhh, how I've missed you!"

Kakashi sat in the old chair across Naruto and cleared his throat. "Well, Naruto, how about you tell me what I've missed?"

Naruto sat up excitedly and began his story. "You wouldn't believe how strong Ero-sensei is! I spar one of his shadow clones and he still kicked my butt! I only started to spar the real him over the last year."

"Oh no, I know how strong your sensei is, I'm impressed you can spar with him!" no doubt Jiraiya was still holding back quite a bit, but Kakashi still allowed himself to be impressed.

"Yeah, I'm pretty good I'd say," Naruto waved his hand in blatantly fake arrogance. "Anyways, I was taught how to fight three different ways, I've got a pretty good handle on a handful of jutsu, I'm making my own storage seals and explosive tags and stuff, the toads are letting me summon them now, and I'm really good at throwing kunai and shuriken!"

"You need to learn how to tell a proper story," Kakashi laughed as his eye twitched. If even half of that is true, then the kids at the academy are dead meat. How the hell was Naruto going to last three months without killing anyone by accident?

"Hey, I think I did pretty good."

" **No, you rambled on for almost all of that."**

Naruto spoke aloud, "Actually, I guess Kurama agrees with you."

"Kurama?" Kakashi asked, his eyebrow rising underneath the headband.

"Oh, Kurama, this is my uncle Kakashi but you probably knew that. Kakashi, this," Naruto pointed at his stomach, "is Kurama! I guess you might know him as the Kyuubi."

Kakashi sat in stunned silence.

" **Hello, Kakashi."**

"He says hi."

Kakashi managed a wave. "Uhh, we should probably talk about the next couple of months."

Naruto groaned and flopped back onto the couch. "I know, I have to go to the stupid academy for a whole three months!"

"True, but I'm taking the top three students that will fit into an assault and defense team. Two heavy hitters and a med-nin." Kakashi told the blond, dropping heavy hints as he did so.

"So I'll be on your team!" Naruto said excitedly.

"Confident, are we?" the masked jonin laughed. "I should probably tell you how things work now, there have been a few changes over the years."

"Hit me, maybe I'll even remember."

Kakashi shook his head before he started. "Kids who graduate are automatically genin. There are now three types of genin: pool genin, team genin, and support genin. Pool genin are only allowed to take D-rank missions unless they form their own team with a chunin to lead them. There is a section in the mission office for D-ranks where genin can go."

"So I could be a lone wolf from the very start?" Naruto asked quickly.

"Yes, but it would be very difficult to take the chunin exams without an assigned team. Team genin are genin who are expected to become elite ninja. Either they are gifted individuals or the team they are assigned is extremely effective."

"Can't I just get a field promotion for chunin?" Naruto asked.

"Technically, yes. But the Chunin exams are an opportunity for a village to show off, so field promotions are pretty rare outside of wartime. If you really wanted to be a 'Lone Wolf', you could ask to be a support genin. You would get tacked on to any team that the Hokage decided needed the backup. The benefit of this is that come time for the exams you can fill in for a team that has a member that doesn't feel confident in taking the exam, or you can orchestrate your own team you pick from the genin pool." Kakashi finished his explanation with a heavy sigh.

"That's a lot of information to take in. I'll just be awesome and be on your team or something."

" **I'll remember either way. Don't worry about it, kit."**

" _Okay, thanks Kurama!"_

The door opened, and a familiar white head of hair walked in. "Ahh, I missed this piece of shit apartment!"

"Hello, sensei."

"Jiraiya."

The toad hermit froze and looked at the pair in his living room. His eyes focused on Naruto as he recalled his expletive. Jiraiya tried quite hard to avoid swearing in front of his godson. Mostly out of respect for what Kushina would have done to him. "Ha! Naruto let's get you ready for class tomorrow!"

* * *

_The next day_

Naruto sat in the hallway outside of the classroom. Iruka-sensei would come out and instruct Naruto to step in to be introduced. Naruto sat in boredom, chin on his hand, and debated on leaving a shadow clone in his place.

"Naruto? You can come in now."

Naruto walked in and stood at the front of the class. All eyes were on him, the room was silent, and Naruto knew he was already being judged. "Okay, class! This is Naruto Uzumaki, and he'll be with us for the last three months before you all take the graduation exam!"

Here was an uproar of general disapproval.

"Why doesn't he have to sit through five years of these dumb classes?"

"That's not fair!"

"He won't even know how in three months!"

"He looks like a jackass!" that one came from an Inuzuka in the third row.

Iruka tried to calm the class, eventually resorting to a strange jutsu to make his head massive. "SILENCE!" The room quieted. "Now, how about we let Naruto introduce himself?"

Naruto felt the attention shift to him. "Uh, well, um… hi! I'm Naruto Uzumaki! I've spent the last six years training under my adoptive father, and I'm pretty much already a ninja."

The class groaned. Naruto narrowed his eyes at the skeptical crowd. "In fact, I don't feel comfortable sparring with anyone here. None of the ways I've been taught to fight is safe enough for any of you." The class laughed out loud at this.

"Uh, Naruto, I have to have you fight at least once before the graduation exam," Iruka-sensei mentioned as the class quieted down.

"When's the first taijutsu session?" Naruto asked as he looked around the room.

"We have one today actually. Right after the first lecture and before lunch."

"Perfect. I'll fight the class' top fighter first to prove my point. Who would that be?" Naruto asked in general.

"That would be me and Akamaru!" The Inuzuka boy from earlier shouted as he stood up. There was a puppy in his hood that barked too.

"No way! Sasuke is way better than you!" a pink-haired girl screeched. She was sitting next to a gloomy-looking boy.

"Yeah, Sasuke's the best at everything!" came another high pitched yell. This time it was a familiar looking blond next to this 'Sasuke'.

_Sakura? Ino? I guess they would have a bunch of friends. They seemed really nice way back when. I guess it only makes sense that they'd be popular._

"Now, now! Let's not get carried away!" Iruka stopped the growing noise before it got out of hand. "Naruto why don't you find a seat? We'll get started on the day's lesson and then head out to the field."

Naruto walked up the stairs to get to the back. He planned on sleeping as much as he could in order to get the three months over with. Faces passed him as he walked, but as soon as Naruto got to the back, his eyes froze. There was a face he remembered quite well.

"Hinata?" the blond asked in wonder.

"Eep!" the shy Hyuuga hid her blushing face as Naruto slipped in next to her.

"Hinata! Long time no see! What are the odds of being in the same class huh?" Naruto smiled as he talked to the strangely blushing girl.

Iruka quickly shushed the excited blond boy, and the lesson started for the day. Naruto spent the class switching between making faces to his quietly giggling friend and trying to avoid smashing his head into the table out of sheer boredom. No part of the current lecture, the political history between the five great villages, interested Naruto. In truth, there were only a handful of people actively paying attention.

"Should I be quiet so you can focus? Or do you care as little as I do?" Naruto whispered to Hinata.

"M-my father has already t-told me to memorize all of this," was her timid response. She still struggled to make eye-contact with Naruto, but she could at least hold a conversation.

"How much longer until we go outside?" Naruto's voice was almost a whine at this point.

Hinata giggled again. "We still have over a-an hour."

Naruto couldn't resist. His forehead made an audible _thump_ as it met the wooden table top. 

* * *

_Outside at the playground/training area_

Naruto was the first one outside. It took a lot of willpower to refrain from using shunshin to escape the classroom. The first person out behind him was the Inuzuka boy, who Naruto was fairly certain was named Kiba. Naruto took up a spot in the sparring ring and waited for the rest of the class.

Eventually, everyone caught up and took position on one side of the ring. Iruka looked at Naruto skeptically, unsure if it was a good idea to allow him to go first. And he wanted to fight Sasuke of all people!

"Naruto, are you sure you want to go first? Maybe you could watch a few and see how it works?" the concerned teacher asked.

Naruto snorted in amusement, the sound almost a full laugh. "Please, Iruka-sensei. Just give me your best and I'll follow my sensei's order and only spar. This should be the only time I have to fight."

"I'll shut him up, Iruka-sensei," Sasuke smirked and stepped into the ring.

Several squeals could be heard from the more feminine portion of the onlookers.

"Get him, Sasuke!"

"Wipe the floor with him, Sasuke!"

"Sasuke I love you!" Everyone paused and looked around for the source of that particular outburst. Odd.

Iruka had more than a few misgivings about the match, but couldn't find a good enough reason to deny the boys what they wanted. "Um, okay. This will be taijutsu only, winner by submission, knock out, or ring out. Understood?"

"Yes," both boys responded.

"You may begin."

Naruto didn't even bother to get into one of his stances. He was tempted to wake Kurama for the show, but he didn't expect it to be all that entertaining. Sasuke took an offensive stance and spoke out, "How can you challenge me and not even know enough to get into a stance? Idiot."

Naruto didn't speak. The black-haired boy charged in with his fist raised, only to switch to a spinning kick aimed at Naruto's head. Naruto threw a light palm strike at the incoming shin, stopping the momentum immediately. Sasuke fell to the ground with a grunt and a sore shin.

Gasps and cries of girlish outrage followed, accompanying Sasuke as he picked himself up. "Lucky hit, try this!"

Naruto ducked under the left jab and countered with a lightning-fast uppercut to Sasuke's chin. The poor Uchiha was sent airborne out of the ring, his head snapped up without making a sound. Sasuke's prone body not moving after the massive blow. Naruto dusted his hands off on his dark shorts and walked to the sidelines next to Hinata.

"You might want to get a med-nin to look at him real quick. I didn't put any chakra into that but it probably still stung a bit," Naruto nonchalantly broke the silence.

Before anyone could move to fetch a nurse, Sasuke shifted. Naruto walked over to him and looked into the groggy eyes. "You're awake! Good on ya, Sasuke," Naruto offered a hand to the downed boy.

"What, what happened?" Sasuke asked as he dismissed the helping hand and rose on his own. There was plenty of whispering going on around the two boys.

"Uh, Winner! Naruto Uzumaki!" Iruka shouted from the opposite side of the ring.

"What? No way you won!" Sasuke yelled, now facing Naruto.

"Eh, there's really no shame in losing to me, Sasuke," Naruto started, "I'm pretty much a ninja already. You don't suck, though."

There was no response, and Sasuke sulked off to the side. Naruto shrugged and returned to Hinata's side as Iruka called another pair to fight.

"You were v-very good, Naruto," Hinata complimented as the blond reached her.

"Yeah, I've never seen anyone whoop on Mr. Moody like that!" Kiba said as he joined the pair.

"Eh. He was okay for an academy student, but the genin I fought weren't much older than us and way better than him," Naruto said nonchalantly, looking at Kiba as he spoke. He didn't mention that he fought the genin when he was younger though. Had to let Sasuke have a bit of dignity at least.

"No way you fought a real ninja, but I will admit you're really good!" the Inuzuka laughed as his puppy barked and wiggled out of his arms. "Oh, Akamaru says he was impressed too."

"Why thank you, Akamaru," Naruto laughed aloud, the small puppy trying to climb up Hinata's leg. The girl asked Kiba and eventually picked up the little dog. Naruto decided not to tell anyone about the people he'd fought and killed. He figured it wouldn't help him make friends too much.

Hinata laughed along with the conversing boys, alternating between listening to them and watching whoever was fighting. Akamaru left her arms and went back to Kiba after a time, and she focused more on Naruto. They had been pretty good friends before he left, but now he was so… He was still Naruto, just somehow _more_. He still had his fun and goofy attitude, but it seemed like he could put it aside. He seemed to do so when he fought Sasuke, and something about that drew Hinata to him even more.

* * *

_Lunchtime_

Naruto sat and ate with a pretty large group of people. He was ecstatic, the number of people willing to be his friend here astounded him. Naruto was especially keen with talking to Hinata and Kiba, of course, but there were two more guys that were pretty friendly too. Naruto caught their names a bit earlier, Choji and Shikamaru.

"So your family literally fights with shadows?" Naruto asked around a mouthful of rice.

"Yeah, we have a bunch of jutsu based around it, but trying to learn them all is such a drag," was Shikamaru's response sounded lazy. The thin teen looked perpetually bored or tired and wore a spiky ponytail. Naruto thought it kind of looked like a pineapple.

"That is the most badass ninja thing I've ever heard about anything ever."

"And Choji's f-family specializes in body enhancement," Hinata spoke quietly. It was one of the first things she'd said since lunch started.

"Woah, what does that even mean!" Naruto asked in comical awe.

"Uh, we can make parts of our body really big and really strong, and my dad can even do it to his whole body," the larger student answered. Naruto had noticed him munching on a bag of chips earlier too, but this bag seemed to be relatively full.

"Woah," Naruto stuck out his hand as if trying to make it expand to no avail. He did, however, notice Sasuke surrounded by a group of girls trying to get his attention. Sakura and Ino included.

Naruto decided that he had made enough friends and didn't have to worry about those two girls, but the thought of them still hurt a little. "What's the deal with Sasuke, guys?" he asked.

The other kids all exchanged glances before Shikamaru sighed and began to explain. "You wouldn't know since you haven't been here, but Sasuke's been really distant and depressed since his clan was murdered."

Naruto's mouth hung open in shock. "His clan was attacked? By who? How many survived? Now I feel bad for him…" Naruto felt Hinata's hand touch his shoulder.

"Naruto, he's the o-only survivor left in t-the village."

"And the reason it's hitting him so hard is because his older brother is the one who did it," Kiba joined in on the conversation.

Naruto didn't respond other than looking at the boy again. He really didn't seem to be enjoying the 'attention' of his fangirls. "I'll be back guys."

Naruto grabbed his remaining lunch left the group despite their protests, and then he made his way to Sasuke and his group of fangirls. Naruto noticed their glances as he got closer, but he paid them no mind. When Naruto reached the table Sasuke was at, he spoke up, "Hey girls, can I get a few minutes to talk with Sasuke here?"

"No way! Just because you got lucky earlier doesn't mean you're good enough to talk to him!" screeched a brunette Naruto had never seen before. Sasuke gave him a questioning look.

"I'll go, yeah," Ino said as she rose from her seat. Her action genuinely surprised Naruto, and he gave her a smile in thanks.

The rest of the girls gave their opinions on Naruto's desire for them to leave.

"Go." Naruto's voice changed by a tiny margin.

Naruto let a bit of his Killing Intent leak out to get his simple message across, and the crowd left quickly.

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked warily, his lunch sitting untouched in front of him.

"Eh. You didn't seem to be enjoying their company," Naruto responded as he continued to eat.

"And you thought I'd enjoy yours?"

Silence.

"The others told me what happened."

"I don't know what—"

"About your family."

More silence.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Have you ever?"

"That's none of your business…" Sasuke was starting to sound more and more defensive.

"Do you plan to get revenge?" Naruto asked bluntly. This time the silence was more awkward due to Sasuke's intense glare.

"How did you come to that guess? What makes you think that I want to kill my brother?" Sasuke was definitely defensive now.

"I never said that," Naruto smiled sadly at the last Uchiha. "I just know that everyone after a trauma like that is only alive for a specific reason, a reason that they usually put ahead of everything else. I also know that you'll be strong enough to do anything you want one day." Was it manipulative? Maybe a little. It sounded better to just call it flattery. 

"You don't know anything," Sasuke looked down at his plate of food, his fist tightening.

"I know that I'm willing to help you, with whatever it is you need."

Sasuke's fist unclenched and his eyes rose from the table. "What?"

Naruto placed a hand on his new 'friend's' back, "I'm an orphan too, Sasuke. Only difference is I've been one since the day I was born. Also, we'll be Brother's of the Battlefield one day, so never hesitate to ask me for help."

"Will, will you help me get stronger?" Sasuke asked slowly, almost as if the words hurt him. "You're the strongest person our age I know, probably as strong as my brother was at this age. I need the strength. I need _his_ strength."

Naruto smiled. "That's something I think I can do."

The bell rang and everyone started to shuffle their belongings around. Naruto cleaned up his lunch and started to walk next to Sasuke. "Make sure you know what to do when you have the power, Sasuke. My sensei says that when someone dedicates their life to a single goal, they consider their life over after they achieve it. Don't let this be your only goal in life, because I know you'll kill him way before it's your time to die." Sasuke didn't say a word, but he walked more like a human that felt emotions than he had in a long time. 

* * *

_Naruto's apartment_

"Ughghgh I'm finally home!" Naruto yelled as he walked through his door.

" **Do you have to be so loud about it?** Kurama asked as he yawned. It was obvious that he had slept the day away.

" _You aren't allowed to complain, you lazy fox!"_

"Naruto, you're back!" Jiraiya yelled from the small kitchen. "I made ramen for dinner, now come and tell me all about your first day of school!" The sannin laughed evilly as the look on Naruto's face gave him a hint at the coming story.

Naruto sped to his bowl of ramen before he started his story. "It's so BORING!" a few bites of instant ramen while his sensei laughed at his misfortune. "I mean I made a handful of friends so talking helps a little, but the actual classes STINK."

"Only three months of this though!" Jiraiya added helpfully.

The two ate their respective dinners as Naruto gave a recap of his day, even adding in his budding friendship with the last Uchiha. Hinata was still his best friend, but Kiba was also pretty cool. Choji and Shikamaru were kinda his friends too, but they seemed to just do their own thing most of the time.

"About the Uchiha, Naruto, their murderer is still on the loose."

"Yeah, Sasuke's brother. Itachi, right?" Naruto asked, slurping up the last of his noodles.

"Uh, yes. And you see, back before we left to train you, I ran a spy network to keep tabs on as many nuke-nin and other stuff as I could."

"And?"

"And I have to start traveling again to pick up where I left off."

"Oh. You're leaving? For how long?" Naruto asked quietly.

"Probably about a year. I have to meet up with most of my contacts to let them know I'm taking back over. I'll have Kakashi and my sensei check in on you every so often, okay?" Jiraiya told his godson.

"Yeah, I'll just suffer through the academy without you," Naruto smirked, trying to get the mood to lighten back up.

" **I'll be here too, kit."**

" _Trust me, I know that much"_ they both laughed a little at this.

"I'll have to leave tonight, I'm almost finished packing," Jiraiya stood up from the table. He rustled Naruto's sloppy blond mop of hair as he walked past, preparing to leave his student as much as he hated to.

" **You know, you could get up to a lot of… training since you won't be supervised."**

" _Part of me doesn't like the way you said that. It's a small part though. Whatcha got, Kurama?"_

" **Wouldn't hiding and running from security or ANBU be considered training? It's definitely hard enough!"**

" _I'm so happy we're friends."_


	6. Chapter 6

"Dear ramen, how many years have I been trapped here?" Naruto asked aloud, his face buried on the table top. The poor blond was sitting with Shikamaru and Choji waiting for class to start.

"Three days," was Shikamaru's curt reply. He didn't sound too excited either, but at least he wasn't sleeping yet.

"Don't lie to me, shadow boy!"

"Naruto," Choji started around a handful of chips, "I'll give you a chip if it makes the suffering any easier."

"Choji, you are an angel," Naruto gladly accepted the offered chip as their sensei walked in.

"Okay class, today will be a lecture on chakra control and the genin level leaf sticking exercise," Iruka said as he arranged the papers on his desk.

Naruto fought a groan as Shikamaru laid his head down for his ritualistic nap. Choji didn't stop eating his chips, but his eyes unfocused as the lecture began. Naruto noticed his friends' similar disposition to the lecture and hatched an idea.

"You guys, we should play a prank to get through this lecture!" Naruto leaned to his friends and whispered.

"Too troublesome, just sleep," Shikamaru's voice was muffled by his arms.

"You would find breathing too troublesome if you didn't have to do it, Shikamaru," Choji whispered back. Some of his words were drowned out by the crunch of potato chips, but the message was clear enough.

"Okay here's the plan. I brought a stink bomb today," Naruto explained.

"You just carry those things around?" Chooji interrupted.

"It helps pass the time okay?" Naruto shot back defensively. "Anyways, Shikamaru, can you move things with your shadows?"

"Who said I'd help you with your prank?"

"Just answer the question!" Naruto was getting a bit too loud and was shushed by Iruka.

"There _is_ a variation of my shadow imitation technique my dad has had me working on, but it's not perfect or anything…" Shikamaru told him reluctantly. Naruto knew better, though. Shikamaru was pumped to do this. Probably.

"What is it, Shika? Come on this will be fun!" Choji whispered excitedly.

"It's called the Shadow Neck Binding. It's not as precise as the Shadow Sewing Technique but I haven't even started that one."

"It'll work! So the plan is, I'll hand Choji the bomb. Choji, I know you always have gum on you for whenever you finish smelly foods, so stick some chewed up gum on one side. The give it to Shikamaru to stick under Sasuke's seat!" Naruto explained his plan while not looking at his friends. Iruka-sensei was currently facing them and Naruto didn't want to give anything away.

"Why Sasuke? He'll beat us up if he finds out it was us!" Choji asked, a little fearfully.

"I'll handle him if we have to. Now come on! He's only four seats down, Shikamaru should be able to hold his technique that long."

The trio pulled off the first part of the plan flawlessly. The issue started during the transfer to Sasuke's seat. The fuse was already pulled so there were only a few seconds to get the bomb stuck under the targeted chair. Unfortunately, Shikamaru really hadn't practiced enough and dropped the bomb halfway to the goal. The stinkbomb rolled under a random civilian's chair. His name was Kaito, and he was nothing but an innocent bystander.

The three guilty boys sat ramrod straight as the first traces of the stink were noticed.

"Do you guys smell something funny?"

"Oh, GOD it's horrible!"

"Kaito was that you?"

The boy under scrutiny yelled back, "It wasn't me I swear, but something smells horrible near me! Maybe it was Sasuke!" This got the poor boy beat up by the numerous fangirls that sat as close to the object of their affection as possible. All the while, Iruka-sensei was covering his nose and yelling at all the children.

As Naruto, Choji, and Shikamaru tried their best to hide their laughter, they noticed Kiba had passed out alongside his puppy.

* * *

Naruto sat at the lunch table with Hinata at his side, the same side she sat at every day. Across the pair sat one of Naruto's newest friends, Shino.

"So your whole family uses bugs to fight?" Naruto asked

"Yes," the sunglasses-wearing boy answered simply.

"Do you use any other jutsu to support them?" Naruto pressed, trying his best to initiate an actual conversation.

"No."

Naruto shrugged. He had tried numerous time, but if that was just the way Shino was then he could live with that.

"Naruto, how has your training b-been going?" Hinata asked from Naruto's left.

"Eh. I can't really try anything new since I don't have access to the ninja portion of the library yet. And I can't use any of the training grounds, and those are the only places I can use bigger jutsu I already know. I've mostly been doing physical exercises and shadow boxing to keep my taijutsu form up."

" **Yes, it's been extremely boring."**

" _What's this? You're AWAKE? During SCHOOL?"_

" **What of it? It's boring in here and I can only sleep so much during the day. You should sneak out and do some REAL training. You're probably still stuck at five tails."**

Naruto was about to retort when Hinata spoke up again, "Oh, um, N-Naruto maybe we c-could spend some free time together, then?"

" **Someone has a love interest I see! Maybe I should be awake more often, kit."**

" _Go back to sleep. Ass-hat."_

"That'd be great! I'm always so bored at home. Shino do you wanna come too?" Naruto asked with all the enthusiasm in the world. Having real friends was great.

Shino looked at the downtrodden face Hinata made at Naruto's invitation, but honestly he wouldn't mind either way. "We shall see. I may or may not be training with family, but spending time with such a powerful ally may be beneficial. My kikaichu tell me you really are quite strong."

Naruto sat with his mouth hanging agape. "That, that was a full sentence! Great job, Shino!"

"Yes."

Hinata giggled and Naruto threw his hands up in exasperation.

* * *

"How did you become so strong?" Sasuke asked as he sat next to Naruto on a bench. The sun was setting and the two had just finished their weekly training session.

"Hours and hours of killing myself," Naruto responded.

"Hn."

"Did you just grunt at me?" Naruto asked, his eyebrow raised.

" **It's something all Uchiha do. Fortunately for you, this one hasn't been corrupted by his clan yet."**

" _You are great at holding grudges you know that?"_

"It happens," Sasuke mumbled, smirking.

"You're a real piece of work you know that?" Naruto accused.

**"You need a larger vocabulary, you know that?"**

_"I don't need to hear this from you!"_ Naruto cut the link for a while, stopping Kurama's laughter immediately.

The two sat in comfortable silence for a while.

"Do you ever think about them?" Naruto asked quietly.

"What? Who?" Sasuke shot back.

"You know. Your parents."

Usually, Sasuke wouldn't even listen to talk of his family. Maybe it was the exhaustion brought on from the training, but he seemed to be opening up a bit. "Yeah. Whenever I'm alone, really."

"Good memories at least?" Naruto asked softly.

"Mostly about why they died. About how cruel and demented my brother is."

Naruto noticed that for some reason Sasuke was actually opening up. "What do you remember about that night? If you wanna talk about it."

"He was my hero. I dreamed of growing up to be like him. I was training all day that day he decided to 'test' himself. It's the only reason that I was spared. I was walking back home, and I remember being excited to show him the new move I had perfected. Not my parents, not my father, Itachi."

Naruto heard the shuddering breath he sucked in. He didn't say anything and just let Sasuke compose himself since he was on a roll.

"As soon as I walked into the compound I saw the bodies. In the streets, hanging out of their windows, everywhere. My first thoughts were if my family was okay, and if Itachi was home to protect them," a sneer grew on Sasuke's face, "I knew that as long as he was around nothing could touch my family, he was too strong for that."

Naruto shifted in his seat as Sasuke tightened his fists, the atmosphere changing along with his tone.

"I walked in on him standing over our parents. I wanted to believe with everything I had that he was just too late to save them, and the blood on his sword was from whoever killed our parents. But as soon as he looked at me, I knew the truth. His eyes were dead. Cold. As lifeless as my mom and dad's body lying at his feet."

Sasuke was breathing heavily, almost as if telling the story physically hurt him. Naruto almost wanted to reach out and lay a hand on his friend's shoulder in comfort, but he was afraid to break whatever trance made Sasuke so open about the past.

"I asked him why. I asked him why, and still called him ' _brother'_ ," The words were bitter. "He told me... he said 'To test my own ability, Sasuke. And you, you shall be my greatest test. I will let you live so you may one day challenge me. When you have the same eyes as I, come before me!'" Tears were flowing down Sasuke's cheeks at this point. "From that day, I've lived my life hating the brother that never loved me. And because of that, I will become stronger than him and kill him. I will return honor to my clan, even if it kills me!" Sasuke hung his head, slouched his shoulders, and let the tears hit the pavement.

Naruto put a comforting hand on Sasuke's shoulder and waited for the tears to stop.

"Sasuke, I don't think he told you everything."

"What?" Sasuke didn't look up.

"I don't think he was testing himself. Who else has he killed?" Naruto asked softly.

"What are you talking about? He told me himself! He put me in a genjutsu and showed me his memories of murdering EVERYONE!" Sasuke argued vehemently.

"Maybe he lied. Ever since I found out, I looked into him some. He hasn't killed any big shots after the whole… you know. If he really was testing himself, he would have killed more big names. There's more to this story, Sasuke."

"Don't try to get my hopes up."

"I'm not. He's still a traitor, but maybe he was forced. Maybe, he actually loved you more than anything and that's why he spared you. Maybe someone threatened you or the village if he didn't what they wanted."

"So what do I do then? I have to kill him, Naruto. You can't change my mind. I know how much you hate me focusing on revenge."

"All I'm saying is that maybe you should focus on getting the whole story from him before killing him. If anything, think of it as gaining intel for whoever else deserves your vengeance."

"... Fine. But killing him is still a priority. I can't do anything until I avenge my family."

Naruto sat with Sasuke a bit longer, his heart aching for him.

" **Maybe I was wrong about this one. The evil of his clan didn't corrupt him, it broke him. Naruto, if there's anyone that can help him, it's you. You helped me, you can help him."**

" _What? I thought Gamamaru helped you?"_

" **No, he only reminded me that the anger I held wasn't mine. None of the Biju are hateful beings. I never told you, but I've been under the control of the Uchiha before. Their genjutsu is a kind that even I can't break. Only a sage can break it. But you gave me something other than hatred. Without you, there would have been nothing but the hatred that genjutsu left."**

Naruto was stunned but determined. " _Thank you for telling me, Kurama. I planned to help him anyway, but thank you."_

" **Don't go mushy on me, kit."**

"Maybe it's time you accepted a new family, Sasuke. People can care about you. I do. Let me help you, in battle and at home. As your brother."

Sasuke sat silently, not acknowledging Naruto's words. "I'm heading home. Thanks for training."

And with that, he left.

* * *

_Graduation day_

He did it. Naruto made it three months without snapping and blowing up the academy. Granted, he mostly did it with a combination of sleeping, shadow clones, and small pranks to help the time pass by, but he did it! Today was the graduation exam, and Naruto couldn't wait to be done with the wretched classroom.

It had been a busy three months outside of the classroom, though. Naruto didn't shirk on his training; studying fuuinjutsu daily, laps around the village, and hiding from the ANBU who were sent to find the perpetrator of multiple pranks. The stink bombs in the Inuzuka compound was one of his favorites. Simple, yet elegant in the way of him managing to plant one in the drawers of several female members of the clan. He REALLY didn't want the blame to fall on him for that one. His sensei's perversion must have rubbed off on him a little.

* * *

Somewhere deep in River country, Jiraiya felt an overwhelming surge of pride. Naruto must have done something, but what could it have been?

"Are you distracted by something?" A shadowy figure asked Jiraiya.

"Just thoughts of home, nothing to worry about."

"Getting soft, old man?" the smirk was invisible, but implied.

"If I didn't need you conscious I show you how soft my fists have gotten."

* * *

Naruto sat in the front row alone for once. His leg was bouncing in anticipation, and he watched as the class filed in. He had told everyone that he didn't want any company during class today, he just wanted to get things over with as soon as possible. Soon enough, everyone was present and Iruka stood at the head of the classroom.

"Okay, class! Today is the first opportunity at the graduation exam for this year! Here's how things will work. First, we'll have the taijutsu examination in the training yard. We'll have help from my friend Mizuki, a chunin who teaches another class that has today off. Next, we'll test shuriken and kunai accuracy, and then we'll finish the day with ninjutsu. Understand? Meet me in the yard in five minutes, and be lined up by name!"

It was finally Naruto's turn to spar with Mizuki. The blond was starting to dislike the fact that his last name starts with a 'U'. So far, only Kiba and Sasuke had managed to land a real hit on the chunin examiner, but to pass you only need Mizuki's approval. If you asked Naruto, Mizuki was a poor excuse for a Chunin. Maybe teachers didn't train as much or something, but he seemed subpar to the other chunin Naruto occasionally spied on. For training reasons, of course!

Naruto stepped into the ring and caught a disgusted look on the face of Mizuki out of the corner of his eye. Naruto no longer had too much prejudice coming in because of the fox. The little he did was from second rate ninja who hated anything to do with the Kyuubi, and Naruto just happened to be included on the list. Said jinchuuriki paid it no mind and he heard Iruka give him the signal to start.

Naruto cleared his head and heart, having already decided to 'fight to subdue'. If he was trying to impress Mizuki he wouldn't settle for fighting to spar. Naruto was sure that the 'chunin' wouldn't last too long, he was obviously out of practice. He must only train to fight academy students. Pathetic.

Naruto blurred forward, the looks of surprise on Mizuki's face was probably mirrored on Iruka. Naruto had kept true to his word, having only ever fought Sasuke his first day of class. If Naruto was forced into the ring he would always bow out somehow. But now, he was fighting someone who could 'keep up with him'… and survive.

Naruto threw a chakra enhanced kick at Mizuki's head, the sheer speed blurring the motion and the power behind the kick nearly breaking his teacher's block. Naruto twisted in the air and landed a powerful punch on his target's ribs. The grunt that followed was a precursor to Mizuki's counter, a hammerfist aimed at Naruto's head. Naruto shifted and let the attack graze along his arm. He then grabbed his teacher's right arm as he kicked out his legs. Naruto tried to twist the arm behind Mizuki's back, but his teacher rolled and stood back up while freeing his arm.

Mizuki attacked next, dashing to the left and lashing out with a blazing kick meant to hit Naruto in the middle of his back. Naruto jumped, flipped in the air, and attempted to land a falling kick. The chuunin blocked with both arms, his knees bending with the force.

Naruto set one foot on the ground, keeping as much pressure as he could on Mizuki's arms. Suddenly, Naruto sped to his teacher's side and landed another powerful punch to the exposed ribs. If Naruto had Kurama's cloak activated, it would have been a killing blow. Regardless, Mizuki cried out and dropped his arms to cover the injured area. A series of quick, straight punches landed in a barrage. Naruto finished the fight with a chakra powered roundhouse kick to his teacher's skull, knocking Mizuki unconscious.

Naruto stood panting, wary of another move from the chunin.

"Um, pass?" Iruka sounded rattled. "I guess it's a good thing you were last on the list…"

"I didn't expect him to leave himself as open as he did, I was just trying to impress him," Naruto responded sheepishly. Naruto was hyper-aware of the many students who were whispering about not even seeing some of the fight due to the speed. If their eyes couldn't follow a fight then they probably weren't ready after all.

The next test was for throwing. Naruto stood on the line next to Sasuke, training shuriken and kunai in his hands. Sasuke managed a perfect score, and Naruto matched him. The two had met up at least once a week outside of class to work on various ninja arts and to talk. They were both technically living alone and had plenty of free time, and much of it was spent training. The test itself wasn't much to get excited about, the twenty yards not being difficult at all.

After everyone finished up trying their hand at throwing weapons, Iruka herded the children to a larger training field to start testing them on ninjutsu. Standard graduation demanded mastery over the academy three jutsu, but students were also allowed to try for bonus points by demonstrating two additional jutsu. Additional jutsu made a candidate more likely to be elected for an 'elite' team. Students were called one at a time to eliminate any extra pressure.

Again, Naruto was the last to be tested. "Okay, Naruto. I need you to show me the Kawarimi, the Henge, and any form of Bunshin. You can also show off two additional jutsu if you want extra points," Iruka explained to him.

Naruto wore a thinking expression for a split second before he made up his mind. Naruto made two shadow clones, one of which Henged into Iruka sensei. The second one used a Shunshin to appear in a deserted area of the training ground. The Iruka clone then used Kawarimi with the normal shadow clone and swapped places. The original Naruto fired off a massive Daitoppa at the Iruka look-alike. The Great Breakthrough sent the clone flying into the distant trees, a few of which were toppled by the force of the gale.

"Did that count? Or am I not allowed to have my clones do the jutsu?" Naruto asked slyly.

Iruka stood staring at the devastation the wind jutsu wrought. His mouth closed before he responded. "Uh, yeah, no it's fine! You get a pass for ninjutsu!"

Naruto walked back inside, the rest of the students already finished. "I wish I could have watched you, N-naruto," Hinata said as the blond took the seat next to her.

"Eh, it was nothing you won't see soon enough since we'll be able to use practice fields as ninja!" Naruto assured her.

"I'm not as confident that I passed as you are, t-though," Hinata replied softly.

"Nah, I'm sure you did great! You probably even made it onto a team!" Naruto tried his best to keep her hopes up, but she was still terribly shy and lacked confidence. Her stutter had lessened ever since he started talking to her, but she still seemed nervous all the time.

Eventually, Iruka walked back in with a stack of papers. "Okay, class! I have the results here. If I call your name you can go to lunch."

A good half of the class left for the lunchroom.

Iruka continued after the last student he called left. "Now if I call your name please go into the classroom next door."

All but ten names were called.

"Now, you kids are going to come back tomorrow," Iruka smiled then, "For your team placements."

The uproar was immediate and quite loud.

"Yeah! I did it!"

"I can't believe it, I made it on a team!"

"Sasuke, will you be on my team?"

Naruto sat and smiled to himself, happy that the three months of torture was over.

* * *

Naruto opened his door, excited to grab some cash and head over to Ichiraku's to celebrate. He didn't spend as much time at the Stand of the Gods as he would like. Every since Naruto went on the bug diet of Mt. Myoboku he had picked up a diet with more protein in it. At the end of the day, though, miso ramen would hold a special place in his heart.

"I hear you made it to the team placements, Naruto."

Naruto whipped around to see Kakashi sitting in the old chair. "Uncle Kakashi! When did you get back from your mission?" The mission Naruto was asking about had been a month-long S-Ranked solo mission. He had to admit that Kakashi actually _was_ one of the best ninjas in the village.

"I've been back for about a day. The Hokage has me preparing for an even longer mission now," Kakashi noticed the frown Naruto wore at the statement.

"He's gotta take on a group of troublesome brats, gods bless him," came another voice from the kitchen.

Naruto knew that voice instantaneously. "Sensei!"

Naruto was suddenly crushing Jiraiya's chest with arms that now reached all the way around the man's trunk with length to spare. Jiraiya felt happy for a moment, and then he felt a tinge of regret. Regret that he had both missed so much of the boy's growth and that he called him Sensei instead of dad. Maybe Hiruzen had a point and Jiraiya really missed out during his younger years.

"Hey there, Naruto, don't go crushing me now!" the sannin laughed.

"When did YOU get back?" Naruto asked, pulling away from the bone-crushing hug.

"Couple of hours ago. I'm the one that told Kakashi about your test results."

"What? How did you know about them?" Naruto asked in total confusion.

"Well, I'm Konoha's spymaster for a reason!" Jiraiya didn't mention that a genin gave the results to the Hokage just as Jiraiya was checking in.

"You couldn't let me have a bit of glory, Jiraiya?" Kakashi called from his spot in the chair.

"Nah, you gotta earn that for yourself!" The white-haired man sat at the table and gestured to the food he had brought home.

Take out. From Ichiraku's.

"You know me so well, Sensei," Naruto exclaimed just before he dug into the miso ramen.

"Eh, it's all you ever ask about to celebrate things like this," Jiraiya opened his own carton as Kakashi joined the duo at the table. "You still remembering to turn off your seal at night?"

Naruto finished what he had in his mouth, "Usually, yeah. Sometimes I just forget, but it's only about once a week."

"How about after we eat we head out to a training ground and let you cut loose?" Kakashi offered around his own food. Somehow the noodles were disappearing behind the mask, but it never left his face.

"Really? I'm allowed?" Naruto asked in amazement.

"I already got permission from the Hokage, yes," Jiraiya told the boy.

"All right!" Naruto then, somehow, managed to down his ramen even faster than before.

* * *

Naruto looked across the field at Kakashi, who still had his book out in front of him. "You might wanna put away your book, Kakashi!" he called out.

"Don't overestimate yourself, Naruto."

Jiraiya then called out to his student, "Okay, Naruto! Seal off, fight to subdue, no restrictions other than to leave Kurama out of it!"

" **Why does the old one have to impede on my fun?"**

" _We already know that you kick ass, this is to see if I live up to the hype of being your Jinchuriki."_

" **Flattery will get you everywhere, kit."**

"Hey, Jiraiya? What is his seal set at?" Kakashi asked, still refusing to put away his orange book.

"He maxed it out at 4X gravity before we got back to Konoha."

Kakashi seemed to debate a moment and then tucked the book away. "Okay, Naruto. Let's see what you've got."

Naruto darted forward, drawing a kunai as he went. Kakashi mirrored him, and the two exchanged blows in rapid succession. Naruto knew he wasn't getting anywhere close to hitting Kakashi, and used kawarimi on a log a fair distance behind the man. Kakashi hit the log with a light scratch of his kunai and then whirled around to block a volley of shuriken.

Kakashi didn't bother dodging as it was simple enough to block four shuriken. Kakashi kept an eye on the far treeline where they emerged from, cautious since the shuriken weren't the real threat. Suddenly, Kakashi whirled back around, where Naruto once again stood in place of the log. More blows from Naruto's kunai where blocked, and then Kakashi managed to land a rib-shattering punch on the boy.

Kakashi knew better than to be worried. The Kyuubi would patch him up by morning. But something happened that Kakashi honestly should have expected: the Naruto in front of him dispersed in a poof of smoke. A shadow clone.

Suddenly a pair of hands grabbed Kakashi's ankles, and the masked jonin used a kawarimi of his own to escape the headhunter technique before he was pulled in to his knees. Every ninja knew that once your legs were submerged in the ground the kawarimi became much more difficult to pull off.

Naruto popped out of the ground and brushed off his shoulders. Inwardly, he cursed at the missed opportunity. Kakashi called out from the opposite end of the training field, "Clever, Naruto! I assume you went under after your first Kawarimi and made the clone at the same time? Good tactic."

Naruto, of course, didn't respond. He never talked unless he was fighting to teach or learn. Instead, a quick, sealless shunshin brought him behind his uncle, who he attacked with vigor. Two clones popped into existence, and the two clones plus the original threw a combination of kicks and swipes with the kunai at Kakashi.

Kakashi had no problem blocking or evading all of the strikes and periodically hopped backward to avoid a simultaneous downward swipe from the clones and the original. Suddenly, the original Naruto went underground. The two clones jumped in the air with a Rasengan each, both of them trying to pin Kakashi to the ground. Kakashi simply jumped up and lashed out with kunai and foot to dispel the surprised clones.

The real surprise came when Kakashi heard a jutsu muttered from the direction of the treeline. "Fuuton: Daitoppa."

Kakashi looked up as he neared the Earth and saw a wall of powerful wind speeding straight for him. The jonin didn't hesitate and blazed through a few hand signs before he hit the ground. Kakashi didn't have to mutter anything as an earthen wall sprung up in front of him, shielding him from the blast of air. Kakashi felt the wind threaten to topple the defensive construct.

"RASENGAN!"

The swirling ball of pure energy slammed into the jonin, and then the wall. The entire wall fell to the attack, obliterated by the chakra. Kakashi went up in a poof of smoke, and Naruto stood in place, panting from the effort of the battle.

"Nice job, Naruto! I didn't actually expect you to hit my clone!" Kakashi called out as he left the safety of the trees. "Do you always call out the name of the move that you think is going to finish your opponent?"

Naruto smiled, knowing he had been fooled by his uncle once again. "Nah, I just thought it would hurt your pride knowing what made you lose the fight."

"You didn't do too bad, Naruto. Good tactics, you still move pretty well, and your use of the jutsu you know was almost flawless," Jiraiya complimented. "Let's head on home. You have a big day tomorrow."

The trio left, Kakashi messing up Naruto's blond mop as they walked.

* * *

Naruto and Jiraiya sat in their living room, Kakashi had left earlier to get some rest of his own.

"Naruto, after you become a ninja, you will be considered an adult," Jiraiya said as he reclined the chair.

"I know. I won't drink yet, so don't worry about me doing that."

"That's not what I'm worried about, Naruto," there was no room for joking in Jiraiya's tone. Naruto rarely heard this tone from his sensei, usually only when they discussed the heavier topics of being a shinobi. Such as killing.

"Naruto, I know that you're a great shinobi already. And you don't really need a sensei anymore. Anything you want to learn now, you can. I'll be here when I can and you can always ask me for advice, but you are your own man now."

Naruto felt his throat start to get tighter than usual. He didn't say anything until he knew his voice wouldn't break from the recognition he was receiving from the most important role model in his life.

"With that being said, I need to know that you'll become a good man. There is a difference between being a man and a shinobi, and I need to know that you'll be both.

Naruto only nodded.

"From here, your choices are your own, and I won't tell you what's right. Just remember, whatever path you choose, I will always, ALWAYS, love you. I am already so very proud of you, Naruto, so I don't want you to ever have to worry about that. Make your goals in life for yourself, and be happy."

Naruto hung his head now, hiding the tears that slowly streamed down his face. He was so, so lucky that he had someone to care for him like this, and his thoughts briefly flashed over to Sasuke before coming back to the present.

"I do suggest that at some point you write down who you want to be. Trust me, it helps when times get tough. Write to remind yourself what you think a good man should be like, and what you aspire to be. I'm not worried though. You are your father's son, after all. And once you become a chunin, you will know who he is, and you can decide what to do with the information on your own," Jiraiya stood and brushed at his own eyes, glad Naruto was fixated on the carpet. "I'm headed to bed. Goodnight, Naruto."

Naruto remained on the couch for a time.

" **He's right you know. Your father would have been very proud of you. Your mother no doubt as well."**

" _You know? Who they are?"_

" **Yes, but I will adhere to the old one's wishes and let him be the one to tell you. He has earned that much respect from me at least."**

" _Thanks, I guess. I just didn't expect all this tonight, you know? I'm still kind of reeling. I didn't even expect him to be home!"_

" **Don't underestimate the love of a father. My own would have done anything for my siblings and I. Jiraiya may not be your biological parent, but he raised you. And he was right about writing down your values."**

" _Yeah, I think I'll do that now to clear my head. Maybe then I'll be able to sleep."_

Naruto trudged to his room in the apartment and sat himself down at his desk. He pulled out a scroll, some ink, and his feather pen. Usually, he practiced his fuuinjutsu here, but he felt like he was now doing something much more important.

_Naruto Uzumaki's List to Live Life By_

_Shinobi have no room for Honor. That is for Samurai and dead ninja._

_But a man is allowed to be as honorable as any samurai._

_All ninja are tools to protect the village from harm._

_But all real men put what they love above all else._

_I will never abandon my friends. Nor will I ever disappoint my family._

_I will not let what happens on a mission effect what happens in my home._

_Mercy isn't for the weak, it is for the deserving._

_Death may be mine to deliver, but it isn't mine to control._

_If I am able to help someone, I will put their needs above my own._

_If I ever have to choose between honor and duty, I will choose both._

_Or die trying._

Naruto left room to add more and put the writing tools away. He crawled into bed and tried his best to sleep.

* * *

_The next day_

"Now, there are a few teams that are still in rotation from the years before you guys and other classes, so your team number may be a bit odd," Iruka explained to the students in front of him. No, the genin. Iruka had to remember that they weren't his little academy students anymore.

"Iruka-sensei, what happens if our jounin sensei don't like the team they get?" Sakura asked.

"Any team that doesn't meet their sensei's expectations shall be sent into the genin pool, so you can still become a ninja. Don't worry!" Iruka assured her.

"Okay, here's the team assignments," Iruka cleared his throat to get the utmost attention. "Team seven will be Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and Kaito."

The three looked to each other, Sakura focusing solely on Sasuke. Sasuke looked extremely upset, almost depressed. He had likely been sure that Naruto would be the other person on his team since he was the only one to beat Sasuke's scores. And why Sakura? All she was good for was her brain. Literally all of her best scores come from written exams. Kaito was decent enough. He was pretty crafty in a fight and hit pretty hard, but nowhere near Naruto and probably even less so than Kiba.

"Team eight will be Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino, and Hyuuga Hinata."

Naruto looked to Hinata. The only other person he'd rather be on a team with was Sasuke. She was impressive, and Naruto knew she'd grow to be strong one day. One day soon if she would gain some confidence. When he thought about it, though, the team was a good one. They were definitely a tracking team, and with Hinata and Kiba they would be able to knock the target out fairly quickly.

"Team ten will be Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, and Akamichi Choji."

Those three also made a lot of sense to Naruto. Shikamaru and Choji were already super close friends, and Naruto often saw them spending time with Ino when she wasn't fawning over Sasuke. Plus with Shikamaru to hold a target steady Choji could squash almost anyone. Naruto wasn't too sure on Ino's ability, but she would probably help if she made it on a team.

Suddenly, Naruto froze in thought. He was the last one left. There was no team for him, he would be solo. He wouldn't be on his uncle's team like he had wanted. Would he go to the genin pool? Or would he be allowed to support full teams?

"Uzumaki Naruto, I am proud to announce that you will be Konoha's first support genin since the introduction of the program."

A round of cheers went up as Naruto stood and gave a few mock bows. "Thank you, thank you. I will give autographs after the show."

Iruka cleared his throat again. "Naruto, you are to report immediately to the Hokage. The rest of you, please wait here for your jounin sensei to show up and give you instructions from there."

* * *

"Well, new genin, are you excited?" Hiruzen smiled warmly at Naruto who took a seat across from the old man.

"You bet! Now I can get into the library, and use the training grounds, and go on missions, and—" Naruto immediately started listing off his plans.

"Woah now, let's focus on one thing at a time, now!" the Hokage laughed.

"Okay, what's the plan?"

"Well, I should probably explain your position to you," Hiruzen took a puff of his pipe. "Naruto, you are really only a genin in name. If I was being honest, you are more like a middle-status chunin."

"So I can skip a rank?" Naruto asked, his head cocking to the side.

"Technically? Yes. But I want to show you off at the next Chunin Exams, which will be held here. It will be a great way to let the world know that Konoha is still powerful, and also a great way for you to start making a name for yourself."

Naruto sat in contemplation and began to nod his head in appreciation. "I have no problem showing off for you, Old Man."

Another chuckle.

"Believe me, Naruto, I know you don't mind showing off."

" **He's got you there."**

" _Stop talking."_

" **Make me."**

" _Bite me."_

" **You like women, Naruto. Namely Hinata."**

Naruto thanked every god for the training he received to hide emotions, else the blush would tip off the Hokage to his inner thoughts and conversation.

"Here's how things work, Naruto. You have to complete six D-Ranked missions to be allowed to partake in any C-Rank. Currently, D-Ranks are little more than chores that civilians need help with, but they are a steady flow of income when bigger missions go dry. Also, I use them as punishments, so don't forget that," the Hokage gave Naruto a slight glare. He probably knew that Naruto was behind most of the pranks in the village.

"Aside from that, you can start deciding on where you want your ninja career to go."

"I want to be the Hokage. Where do I sign up for that?" Naruto asked quickly.

There was a loud, genuine laugh from the old Sarutobi. "Oh Naruto, you can't just jump into the hat and robes! You need a name for yourself, a reputation! Most of what I do to keep the village safe is paperwork and intimidation. Only a fool would attack a village protected by someone like 'The Yellow Flash' or 'The God of Shinobi'. Plus you need the support of the village, which is best gained through service to it."

"... Well, you didn't have to laugh at me… How do I do that then?" Naruto grumbled.

"Join a division. Serve your village. You can't officially join a branch until you're a chunin, but you can prepare as a genin. The Yondaime was the head of our Sealing Corps before he was the Hokage. I ran the research and advanced teaching department. There's been several nominees from the ANBU, the Interrogation and Torture department, and even the Medical Corps."

"So I just pick one and get really good right?" Naruto asked in confirmation.

"That's the gist of it, yeah."

"Well, I guess I should go bang out those D-ranks and start thinking!" Naruto stood to leave, the bounce in his step still noticeable.

"Good luck, Naruto! I know you'll be great," Hiruzen muttered the last part to himself since the blond child had already left. "Great indeed."


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took the D-Rank pay from Narutopedia and cut it nearly in half, but I also learned that the conversion rate is about 10 Ryo to 1 USD. This would make every D-Rank worth roughly 250 USD. Even if you factor for inflation, that's fecking bonkers. As mission rank increases I get closer to the prices listed on Narutopedia.
> 
> That being said, for my story, I'm going to add in a few different factors. Tax is going to be fairly high for a multitude of reasons: Healthcare, City renovations from recent and for future attacks (Chunin exam invasion for example), payroll of Hokage and advisors, and tribute to the Daimyo. I'm putting Konoha's mission tax up at 40%. Konoha is the capital, so living there would be a luxury for most. Therefore most citizens should be fairly well off, at the very least the ones paying for missions. Side note, real estate is probably outrageous.
> 
> To summarize for my story:
> 
> S-Rank Missions = 1 Million Ryo and up (Failure means death or capture and risk to Konoha, lower odds of success)
> 
> A-Rank Missions = 300,000 Ryo (Likely teams of opposing Ninja) to 1 Million Ryo (Sensitive material+powerful teams)
> 
> B-Rank Missions = 110,000 Ryo (Expecting Combat, possible weak ninja) to 250,000 Ryo (Combat with powerful ninja)
> 
> C-Rank Missions = 30,000 Ryo (International Errands) to 100,000 Ryo (Escorting while defending against Non-ninja)
> 
> D-Rank Missions = 2,500 Ryo (Chores) to 25,000 Ryo (Missing Person)
> 
> Shinobi are going to have to really earn their money in my version of this world, and taxes aren't going to help. How realistic...

Naruto went home before he went to get his ninja ID photo taken. He figured that he'd change, grab a few supplies, and then head straight to the mission board reserved for genin. Naruto looked through his closet and noted the one-dimensional color scheme. Sure, orange was a great color. Sure, he no longer wore a literal suit of his favorite color. But he still had to get some darker clothing for stealth purposes. Naruto currently had one dark blue short-sleeve shirt and a few pairs of black pants with an orange stripe down the side.

Throwing on the shirt and a pair of the darker pants, Naruto promised himself that he'd go to a ninja clothing store as soon as he finished the day's missions. Naruto left the apartment and headed back towards the Hokage's building. Naruto passed more than a few people on his walk, most of them oblivious to his presence. A few groups of kids were running around, playing like there wasn't a care in the world. The sight brought a smile to Naruto's face, and he entered the administrative building with his mood set high.

"Hello, how may I help you?" the receptionist asked as Naruto entered the lobby.

"I'm here to register as a Ninja. Naruto Uzumaki."

A few papers were shuffled and the light haired lady reached into a drawer. "One standard hitai-ate, one pass to for an ID photo, your registration papers, and one free genin level weapon kit. Your kit has six kunai and a dozen shuriken. Naruto Uzumaki, your identification number is 012607. The door to your left will take you to the photo room," she told Naruto with a rehearsed tone and professional smile.

Naruto accepted everything she gave him, looking oddly at the weapon kit. When he thought about it, he figured that many orphans did try to become ninja, and they wouldn't be able to buy weapons for themselves. Naruto thanked her with a smile and walked into the next room with the pass in his hand.

Inside the photo room was a camera on a stand and another civilian girl reading what seemed to be a copy of Kakashi's favorite book. As soon as she took notice of Naruto, though, the book was tucked away and her dark hair flipped over her shoulder as she stood.

"Hello, do you have a first-time pass or are you paying for a retake today?" she asked, her bubbly voice pleasant to Naruto's ears.

"First time today, I just got my papers and forehead protector," Naruto informed her as he handed her the pass.

She looked briefly at the paper as Naruto tied the hitai-ate to his head. "Okay, just stand over on that 'X' whenever you're ready."

Naruto stood in the aforementioned spot and smiled at the camera, holding up a two-fingered salute. His smile was large and proud, and his forehead protector was proudly holding up his spiky blond mop of hair.

Naruto started to drop his smile and open his eyes fully to ask what the delay was when the flash blinded him. He staggered a bit, the effects reminding him of the first time he tried to make a flash tag.

"There we go, sometimes the button sticks," the photographer said aloud as she inspected the photo. "I've seen better, but I've seen worse. This'll work out just fine until you decide you've outgrown it."

"How long until the ID is done?" Naruto asked, moving to sit down at a table.

"You're the first one in today so there's no line. Probably no more than ten minutes."

* * *

Naruto left the photography room feeling accomplished. He looked at the clock and noted that it was only approaching ten in the morning and decided that he had time to finish all six of the D-ranks he needed by dinner time.

Naruto walked down the hall, following signs towards the various lounges. Just past the jonin lounge was the chunin 'lounge', but compared to the jonin one it seemed more like a mess hall with a few extra benches. Past those still was the mission boards office. The long room had only a few ninja in it, all of them chunin but one genin that stared at a mission he had obviously just grabbed.

Naruto walked in and took stock of the boards. Every board was labeled with their respective missions, D through B. All of the higher ranked missions came directly from the Hokage, and it was the same thing with lower ranked missions that paid extra for immediate response. If Naruto remembered one of the few interesting lectures right, the Hokage still occasionally assigned missions, usually ones that were important or close to expiration.

Naruto walked up to the D board and noticed that they were indeed chores. Painting fences, fetching groceries, catching stray bothersome animals, retrieving pets, the list went on and on. Their payouts were anywhere between twenty-five hundred Ryo and ten thousand Ryo, with a tax on all missions that would go back to the village. Nothing too outrageous, but it would be enough for a day of honest work to a genin.

Well, Naruto didn't have to do them one at a time. Naruto grabbed two that requested fence painters, two that asked for help moving construction supplies until lunchtime, one from the Hokage asking for a park to be cleaned of litter, one that called for walking an elderly civilian from one end of town to the other, and one that mentioned something about a missing cat named Tora that was strangely worth a full ten thousand Ryo.

"Why'd you grab so many, kid? Friends send you in here or something?" One of the older chunin asked from the C-Ranked board.

"Nah, I just have to get six done before I'm allowed to go on real missions," Naruto told him absently as he read the details of each mission.

"You should just come back here as you complete them you know. Someone else could do one while you finish another. That way the client doesn't have to wait," the kind chunin was obviously trying to help Naruto, who had the look of a fresh genin. To be fair, he technically was.

"Oh they won't have to wait," Naruto told him as he made a total of twenty-four shadow clones.

The chunin in the room all stood with their mouths agape. "Holy what."

"I've never taken missions before, but I assume that most people will be expecting three-man teams at the most right?" Naruto asked politely as he handed out the various missions to his clones.

"Uh, yeah. Hey, are those shadow clones? And AREN'T YOU A GENIN?" the first nice chunin from earlier questioned loudly, voicing everyone else's thoughts as well.

Naruto laughed. "Yeah, they're shadow clones and I'm technically a genin. Do you think that three per painting and construction job is enough? And what about six to clean a park and find some cat named Tora?" Naruto planned on helping the old lady personally, so he knew she'd be more than fine.

The assembled chunin nodded numbly, their mouths still trying to form coherent words. The first one had the most luck. "Are you sure it's smart to use clones? What if they dispel early? And you might need the chakra!"

"Eh. These guys all have twelve hours worth of chakra without using jutsu, and maybe ten hours with light jutsu use. And I don't really worry about chakra," Naruto explained as he finished passing out the missions to the clones and separating them into groups.

There was silence in the room as Naruto turned to his audience. "Well, gotta get these done before dinner! Later guys, thanks for the advice!" and all twenty-five Naruto's vanished in a swirl of leaves, leaving even more shocked shinobi in the room.

The genin in the corner walked out angrily muttering, "That's not even fucking fair!"

* * *

Naruto swirled into view in front of the door that read the address on the mission request. Naruto knocked politely and waited patiently. Soon enough a young woman opened the door, a smile stuck on her face.

"Oh! Are you the ninja here to help get my grandmother home?" she asked warmly. Naruto was really happy with all the positivity he'd been getting lately, but he was afraid to say so aloud and risk jinxing it.

"Yup! Wherever she needs to go I'll get her there!" Naruto responded just as happily.

"Okay great! Hold on just a second and I'll go get her," the woman started, but she was interrupted by a second voice.

"No need, darling, I'm all ready to go," said a short, wrinkled, and hunched over woman.

Her grey hair was tied back in a neat bun, and she had a suitcase in one hand with her other clutching the head of a cane. Naruto could tell that she had lived a long, full life.

"Oh, grandmother! I didn't know you were so eager to leave!" the younger of the two women fake pouted.

"Ah, I was a newlywed once too, believe it or not! I don't want to risk being here any longer than I already have, darling. Now, I'll be on my way… so you go get started on my great-grandbabies!" the elderly lady laughed as her granddaughter blushed scarlet and hurriedly closed the door. Naruto pretended to be oblivious until the woman's attention shifted to him.

"Hmm, and you are the young man that'll be taking me home?" she asked Naruto.

"That's right ma'am, I'm a newly promoted genin and your my first client," Naruto told her as he took the bag from her. And she was his first. Well, personally his first.

"My husband used to be a ninja. We made a fair bit of money in our lives so I like to hire new ninja to give them a little boost in my husband's honor. May he rest in peace," she told Naruto as they started the long walk to her home.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that he passed," Naruto told her sincerely.

"Thank you, but he died honorably in the line of duty, and he gave me two beautiful girls. I can't complain about that in my old age. The woman you met is my youngest daughter's only child."

"I see, she seemed very happy," Naruto stated. "My name is Naruto by the way. And your name is Akiyama, yes?"

"That's right, and my husband's name was Riku. I still remember the day he swept me off of my feet… Have you been in love yet, Naruto?" she asked, trying to keep the small talk going.

"Not yet, no," Naruto smiled softly. "How did you fall in love with your husband?"

The old woman smiled even wider than she did before. "He was a ninja by the time I met him. A chunin I think. He asked me out for sushi after meeting me at the market buying fruit. I didn't fall in love with him until our fourth date though. He picked me up, and carried me over rooftop after rooftop and would bring me to his secret hiding place. It's still my favorite memory."

Naruto noticed the faraway look in her eyes. "Would you like to travel by rooftop again?"

The tears in her eyes were immediate, and Naruto knew he made the right choice. "Could we? Oh, but what of my bag? I don't want you overtaxing yourself…"

Naruto waved off her concern and handed the luggage to a clone that appeared behind him in a puff of smoke. Naruto then gently picked up Akiyama, leaped to the nearest rooftop in an effortless leap, and traveled with her to relive her memories of the person she cherished most.

* * *

Naruto sat inside the mission department's main lobby, waiting for the rest of his clones to enter. They couldn't shunshin inside due to the protective seals, but Naruto knew that once they finished it wouldn't take them long to find him. The park cleaners were done first, and they strolled in at eleven-thirty nearly on the dot. Naruto took the signed mission form and prepared for the incoming memories as they dispelled.

The memories weren't much. Mostly cleaning, a few conversations with passersby, and one or two clones chasing after a squirrel.

The first set of painters was followed in by their counterparts half an hour later. Naruto took the two mission forms and again prepared for the memory surge. Nothing but painting there.

The six clones sent to construction had the most interesting memories by far. The clones only had to move equipment every ten minutes or so, and between that time there was a lot of jokes between workers and even an arm wrestling match with one clone. Naruto smiled at some of the memories and regret not being present himself. Naruto decided that from then on, he would avoid using clones to do missions if he could help it. Sometimes the people were worth more than the reward.

Naruto sat and waited for the six clones to return with the cat. And he waited. And waited. Once twelve thirty came around, Naruto felt a surge of chakra, signaling the demise of a clone. Naruto focused on the memories and discovered that this was a clone made by one of the six Naruto sent after Tora. This clone was made purely to dispel and give information on the cat's location to the other five searching clones.

Naruto was actually impressed, the cat had managed to evade his six searching clones for almost an hour and a half. Suddenly, another surge of chakra. And then another. Were his clones seriously getting taken out by a cat?

Inspection of the memories told him that yes, yes this devil cat was dispelling clones with its claws. Two more clones dispelled, but the last one had memories of another clone securing the possessed feline in a blanket of some sort.

"I'm never talking about this…" Naruto said to himself.

Ten minutes later and two clones walked into the lobby, one carrying the signed mission paper. The clone looked Naruto dead in the eyes.

"We never talk about what just happened."

"Agreed," chorused Naruto and the remaining clone.

Naruto approached the desk with all six mission papers. The receptionist gave Naruto a suspicious look before he double checked the signatures.

"You completed these all today?" the civilian man asked.

"Yeah. Shadow clones," Naruto responded easily.

"Ahh, makes sense," the dark-haired man muttered as he added up the total of Naruto's payment.

"Twenty-two thousand five hundred Ryo for the total of your mission payments. I see you are a new genin, so you'll simply have ten percent taken off for the Daimyo's tax. After taxes, you come out with twenty thousand two hundred and fifty Ryo. Do you have a bank account set up yet?" he asked. the teller hid a shit-eating grin as he handed Naruto a slip of paper. It was a check, made out to his name. And it was the most Naruto had ever held in his life.

**A/N: By the logic I mentioned at the beginning of the chapter, this has the buying power of about 2,025 USD. One mission has a maximum payout of 25,000 Ryo (2,500 USD), but none of those kinds of missions were displayed. Split four ways for an average team each member would get 6,250 Ryo (625 USD) before tax. The missions Naruto are doing bring in only 2,500 Ryo, or 250 USD (Tora being the exception). Split four ways and everyone ends up with 1562 Ryo (roughly 156 USD) That's pretty reasonable for a mission that should take a few hours, and would be enough to live on if a ninja never got promoted. Also, Naruto has yet to be properly introduced to taxes! Hooray!**

"Um, no. Not yet. Where is the bank again?" Naruto asked sheepishly.

The receptionist clearly got the question quite often. "Head straight out the door. At the second intersection take a right. You'll see the T&I building before you see the Bank. The bank is the fourth building on the right before you get to Torture and Interrogation. Just give them that check and your ID and they will make you an account. You can then either deposit your check in full or keep some in cash. There is a five hundred Ryo deposit that you have to put into your account right away, but it shouldn't be a problem."

"Right. Uh, thanks again!" Naruto said as he turned and ran out the door.

* * *

Naruto entered the bank and got his account set up with little fuss. The bank teller was nice enough and Naruto left with ten thousand one hundred and twenty-five Ryo in his account, and a full ten thousand in his wallet.

Naruto kept true to his word and started walking around the district he usually saw the most ninja in for a suitable store. Naruto settled on a ninja store with weapons out front on display. Naruto entered 'Higurashi's' and took note of all the weaponry that adorned the walls out in the front of the store. They were all beautifully made and polished to a reflective shine.

"Hello, can I help you?" a young girl asked from behind the counter.

"Yes, actually. I was wondering if you guys sold any clothes? Preferably those made for ninja?" Naruto asked hopefully.

The cute girl walked out from behind the counter, and Naruto knew immediately that she was a shinobi in training. She had the walk. The pair of buns on her head had distracted him at first, but she did indeed have a hitai-ate on.

"First time in here I take it?" she asked. "My dad makes all the best weapons in town, and the clothes are more practical than fashionable. The way a ninja should be if you ask me."

Naruto followed her towards the back end of the store. "Yeah, I just got registered this morning. I figured I'd come in and blow an entire half of my first paycheck already," he joked.

The girl laughed and gestured to a rack of shirts. "This end has all the smalls, they'll fit you the best. Shorts and pants are on this side of the aisle," she pointed to the other end of the aisle. "Most of our clothes run right around two hundred Ryo, but if you're feeling fancy there's another section with higher quality stuff," she gestured to another entire section of clothes, but Naruto was feeling that simplicity was the way to go. "Just come see me when you're ready. Name's Tenten by the way," she called over her shoulder as she walked back to the counter.

Naruto gave his thanks and started browsing the rack. There was a sign on the shirt rack that stated that with the first two shirts you purchased you got a free fishnet undershirt. Naruto picked out two plain, black shirts right away. One was a t-shirt and the other had sleeves that came down to the middle of his forearms. Naruto grabbed a mesh shirt from the hangars next to him and continued his search.

Naruto ended the hunt with another three undershirts, two more dark blue shirts with an orange stripe running down from each armpit, a deep red colored shirt, and a completely orange shirt just to keep old habits alive. Naruto then picked up two pairs of dark green and two dark blue pants. They were full of pockets, perfect for any tools he might need. Naruto also grabbed three pairs of shorts of the same design and dark blue color, just for when he had missions in hot weather.

Naruto started back towards the register and browsed on his way. Naruto had kept things pretty simple and only spent three thousand of his available ten. Not too bad, Naruto did tend to stay on the cheap side. On the way to the counter, Naruto's eye was caught by a pair of gloves.

The gloves were fingerless, had metal studs over each knuckle, and a sign that read 'one size fits all'. The only two colors, however, were black and dark blue. Naruto grabbed the black pair and made his way to the counter.

"Hey, Tenten? Would you happen to have these gloves in orange?" Naruto asked as he set the rest of the clothes in front of the girl.

"Um, I'll go ask my dad real quick, hold on."

Naruto watched her leave and then became more curious about the swords surrounding him. Naruto walked over to one that had old looking, elegant engravings. The weapon seemed to chant his name, and Naruto was enraptured. He walked over to the mystical looking blade, and he drew it with a beautiful metallic ring.

Naruto stood, feeling both out of place and at home with the blade in his hand. Naruto brought it up to eye level and adopted a stance he once saw a master take on a practice field. The blade shone in the dim light, and Naruto ran it through a simple motion…

And cut the shit out of his forearm. And then he panicked and knocked over another display sword. Naruto tried to wipe his blood off the blade with his sleeve, but he ended up cutting into his bicep too. Damn this store and their care for their merchandise quality!

" _Oh gods Kurama wake up I need help!"_

" **Eh? Kit? What's the matter? Why do you smell blood?"**

Naruto managed to clean the blade, slip it back into its sheath, and started to pick up the other one.

" _I'm in a weapons shop for clothes and I was playing with this cool sword and I cut myself and I need you to heal it before Tenten comes back and sees my cuts!"_

As Naruto fixed the toppled display, Kurama just couldn't help himself. " **BAHAHA! OH, DEAR GODS, you are such a child!"**

" _I really don't need this right now, please, just speed up the healing! Please!"_

Naruto heard the Kyuubi continue to laugh as he frantically watched the wounds close. With a sigh of relief, Naruto rushed to the counter and wiped away his blood with the inside of the red shirt he bought.

"You're in luck, Naruto! Dad had one dark orange and one purple off the shelf because no one wanted them!" Tenten talked happily as she walked back to her counter, oblivious to the blush that Naruto wore. "I can probably give it to you for two thousand Ryo. The metal is chakra conductive so it's a bit pricey, but one day you should be able to use it as a pretty good taijutsu enhancement… is that blood on your shirt?"

Naruto immediately turned his clean side to her. "What? HA NO! I mean, no."

Tenten gave him an odd look.

"So, uhhh what's my total?" Naruto tried to change the subject.

"Looks like… five thousand and five hundred Ryo. But I like you, so I'll sell you the lot for an even five thousand. Can you cover that?"

Naruto nodded and shelled out the cash.

"Oh. I thought this was your first paycheck? You must have had a pretty big first mission huh?" Tenten said as she put the money in the register.

"What? Oh, no! I just did six missions this morning, this actually is only a quarter of my check. This is actually covered by just catching Tora. Damned cat popped four of my clones!" Naruto was happy for his first 'ninja small talk'. He felt so official discussing missions like this, even if they were only D-Ranks.

"Wait, SIX missions? And Tora's only worth ten thousand Ryo! Did your team not want any of the cut? Are they that loaded?" Tenten paused the bagging process to bombard Naruto with questions.

"Uh, yeah. Six missions. And you know about Tora? That devil has escaped before?" Naruto asked incredulously. Tenten didn't drop her gaze, still demanding answers. "Oh, and I don't have a team. I'm a support genin, as of today!"

Tenten continued to bag the clothes with her mouth hanging wide. "Then how did you complete six missions in a day?"

A shadow clone popped into existence and took the bags. "Shadow clones," it said before it disappeared in a swirl of leaves, speeding back towards the apartment.

"You're actually a support genin?" Tenten asked as Naruto prepared to leave.

"Yeah, first one too. At least that what Iruka-sensei said."

"You… must be really good. Like, REALLY really good. Not even Neji made support genin, and he's a literal prodigy," Tenten said. "Hey, I'm having team practice later at training ground one. Why don't you show up and meet a team you might support one day?"

"That's actually a great idea! I've been pretty bored since I haven't been allowed to actually train yet. I'll see you there!" Naruto then ran off, still hiding his bloodied sleeve.

"We meet at six!" Tenten called after him.

Tenten noted that he wasn't sticking around to acknowledge the time they were meeting. "He is one crazy kid."

* * *

Hiruzen Sarutobi was relaxing in his chair after a hard day of paperwork for the new genin batch. The genin pool was about as full as it had been the past two years, and and the number of teams this class had managed to pump out was just short of incredible. Usually, one elite team would come out of a class. Two was exceptional, but three was just amazing. Granted, this year did hold a few of the major clan heirs, but still. And a support genin in one Uzumaki Naruto. Hiruzen knew to expect greatness from that boy, but word from his receptionist in the missions office was that Naruto had already qualified for C-Rank missions. Absolutely unheard of, even before the reform.

Suddenly the door opened. "Hey, Old Man!"

Speak of the devil and he shall appear.

"What can I do for you, Naruto? I was getting ready to close up for the day."

"I just wanted to check something is all. I finished all six of my D-Ranks, so I'm allowed to do C-ranks now right?" the blond asked.

"I mean, yes. But! It is quite unusual for even a chunin to do C-Ranks alone. C-Ranked missions have a chance of real combat, and can turn deadly in a second.," Hiruzen warned wisely, trying to get Naruto to slow down.

"Okay, but I've killed before. I don't really like to, but I'm really good at it, I promise! A couple years ago I fought real genin, and now I'm way better. I can handle it, so please?" Naruto pouted in a way that the Hokage believed may have worked on Jiraiya in the past.

"No. Not until I know you're ready."

"Hmmm okay compromise! After I support a team on a C-Rank and get the jonin's approval can I do them?" Naruto asked desperately.

Hiruzen had to admit that Naruto _was_ being pretty mature about the whole ordeal. And Kakashi did say that he was better than some chunin… and he DID manage to knock out Mizuki.

"Okay. As soon as I get a jonin OTHER THAN KAKASHI to vouch for you, I will allow it."

"YES!" Naruto threw a fist into the air. "Okay, I gotta go meet Tenten's team now for training. Thanks, Old Man!"

Hiruzen smiled knowing that the boy would manage to reach whatever goals he had one day, no matter if they were to be Hokage or not.

* * *

Naruto took his time walking to training ground one. Since it was just past five in the afternoon, Naruto took a few minutes to look at the various stalls for once. It was something he never did before he was a ninja. Now, he had money of his own and could spend it without guilt. Not like he _would_ , but the option was there now.

Eventually, Naruto started heading towards the training grounds. He didn't mind being early, more time for him to warm up is all. Naruto saw a familiar figure headed towards him, coming from the direction of the training grounds.

"Hinata?" he called out.

The figure froze in place before seeming to relax. "Hello, Naruto!" Hinata called back, giving a small wave.

As the two met, Naruto turned and started walking back towards the village. "You just getting done with training?"

"Today was mostly getting to know everyone better. We did a little bit of light training, but nothing too strenuous."

The two came up to a bench and they each took a seat. "That sounds like a pretty good time to me! Do you like your team so far?" Naruto asked excitedly.

"Yes, Shino is still quiet almost all the time, but Kiba t-talks enough for both of them," she giggled.

Naruto laughed along with her. "Who's your sensei?"

"Yuhi Kurenai. She's Konoha's top genjutsu expert, and she promised to make us all the best tracking and apprehension team Konoha has," Hinata told him. "How was your first day as a support genin?"

"It was okay. I rushed through six missions today, but they were mostly chores. Bought some clothes. Not much really. But I am going to go train with a team in a bit!" Naruto exclaimed.

"W-wait, Naruto! Six? Six missions?" Hinata double checked with the blond.

"Yeah. Shadow clones and all that. You know how it is," he waved it off like it was a much smaller deal.

"Naruto new genin usually take a mission a week until they get enough training in! Did you leave any missions for the rest of us?" Hinata laughed in surprised delight when Naruto confirmed his story.

"Huh? Yeah totally! The board was full of missions, probably because people know that there's new genin looking for work! I wonder how the pool genin will do…"

"Naruto," Hinata giggled again, "most pool genin don't stay in Konoha. They go to a smaller town or outposts for the D-ranks there. Otherwise, there wouldn't be enough missions to go around here!"

"Oh. I knew that. Definitely knew that."

The two sat and talked for a few minutes more, but eventually, Naruto had to remove Hinata's head from his left shoulder so he could make it to training in time. As it was, he'd only be five minutes early.

"We'll have to hang out again soon, Hinata," Naruto said as he stood up.

"I should be free in a few days. Sensei wants to get two days of training in before we take our first mission," she told him as she also rose from her seat.

"Okay, I'll find you in three days! Maybe try to meet me here?" Naruto asked as he started to walk backward towards the field.

"You g-got it, Naruto!" Hinata turned to hide her blush, and she heard his footsteps get further and further away.

"I can't wait, Naruto."


	8. Chapter 8

* * *

Naruto stood facing Lee, a spandex-wearing genin on Tenten's team. "So you're a taijutsu specialist?" Naruto asked as both boys stretched for a spar.

"Yosh! My flames of youth burn brightest in my fists, and Gai-sensei has promised to make me a splendid ninja!" the strange genin yelled in response.

"You're really loud, you know that?"

"I am! It is to keep my spirits high when I need motivation!"

"... We're ninja, Lee. Our entire job is to be quiet."

"Thank you, for finally saying it!" Tenten called out from her side of the field. She was getting ready to square off against an oddly feminine yet distinctly male Hyuuga.

"Don't listen to them, Lee! Focus on training your way until your flames of youth burn brighter than anyone else's!" the team's sensei also seemed to speak unnaturally loudly. Naruto wasn't too sure, but judging from matching green spandex and EYEBROWS Guy-sensei was Lee's father. Except he wasn't.

" **Dear fuck, Naruto why are you here. Please cut me out or leave I'm going to die!"**

" _Ah, don't be a wuss! Besides, we'll have to get used to them if we are going to work with them!"_

" **There are some days I still hate you, you are aware?"**

" _Mmm, love you too, furball,"_ Naruto cut all links before he got a reply.

"Okay, Lee! You ready for our taijutsu match?" Naruto called out, finally done stretching his muscles.

"Yosh! Only, I do not wish to limit you to a single ninja art. Just because I can only utilize taijutsu doesn't mean you must have the same restrictions! I must learn to fight regular shinobi as well if my flames are to burn even more brightly!" the bushy-browed genin proclaimed.

Naruto was starting to seriously doubt this genin's sanity.

"I believe in fighting on equal ground with my comrades. After this, if you want training to defend against ninjutsu, I will happily help you, Lee. But for now, let's stick to taijutsu," Naruto told him.

With tears of joy streaming down his cheeks, Rock Lee responded, "Yosh! Prepare yourself, Naruto!"

Naruto got into a neutral stance of his Fox Fist. And then, Lee sped at him. Naruto smiled as he saw Lee jump into the air and start things off with a flying spin kick while shouting something about the leaf. Naruto ducked the kick and spun hard, trying to land a vicious backhand in the other genin's gut. Lee used his hands to springboard off of Naruto's outstretched arm.

As Lee landed gracefully, Naruto started his own charge. The blond stayed low to the ground, keeping his options of evading a sudden attack as open as possible. Lee turned to face him, and Naruto started off the next exchange with a flurry of punches. Lee managed to avoid most of them, blocking the ones he couldn't. Naruto landed the odd hit every now and again, but they were improvised at angles that took away most of their power.

The two boys ended the short but furious exchange by landing simultaneous ax kicks to one another's skulls, knocking them both back. Lee never dropped his determined smile, and Naruto adopted a feral looking one. The two boys charged back in, fists ready to fly.

This time, Lee got the initial momentum in the exchange, leaving Naruto on the defensive. Naruto couldn't help but focus on dodging and blocking, and appreciating every strike as he did so. Every one of Lee's attacks would have seriously hurt if they had landed. There was no 'initial contact' hit that most styles had to open an opponent up for a longer combination of attacks. With Lee's style, any lesser shinobi hit with a solid strike wouldn't last an entire combination.

Naruto created some space between his opponent and himself by sweeping around Lee in a manner that may have taken off the green-clad genin's legs if Naruto had more than two tails out. Naruto landed a shattering elbow to Lee's kidney area, blasting Lee away to recover.

Naruto was impressed. Very, very impressed. Lee showed almost no signs of taking a shot to one of the most vulnerable areas on a ninja, and he stood ready for the next exchange.

"Lee!" Naruto called out, dropping his guard.

"What is it, my youthful friend?" the boy in question responded in a jovial tone. He was really enjoying this.

"You're a taijutsu specialist, so I know you train with weights. Take them off, and fight at full with me!" Naruto requested, debating on trying to learn his new friend's strange language of 'Youth'.

Lee looked at Naruto oddly before replying, "I do not want to put you at an unfair advantage, Naruto! You have been a most youthful opponent and I wish for our fair spar to continue!"

Naruto smiled then. "Fine, you take your weights, and I'll take off mine."

Lee looked excited at the prospect and looked over at his sensei. Lee rarely got to train with his weights off, usually only when his sensei was sparring with the team. Lee figured he could probably do so more often with Neji, but Lee wanted to save his true speed for his rival match with the Hyuuga prodigy as much as he could.

Guy-sensei looked pensive for a moment from his perch squatting on a bench, and then he nodded to the almost shaking Lee.

"Yosh! Let us do it, Naruto!" Lee then sat to remove his leg warmers. Naruto watched as he focused his chakra into the seal at the small of his back and released the effects.

The two stood in place and jumped to get a feel for unrestricted movement. Soon enough, both were ready to continue and resumed their stances.

"Prepare yourself, my youthful friend!"

And then he disappeared. No jutsu, no tricks. Naruto just straight up lost sight of him.

Naruto started to mutter to himself, "Dear fuck what have I gotten—" the same flying spin kick from Lee is what cut him off, the impact blasting into his jaw and sending Naruto spinning away. Lee hit HARD.

Naruto opened the link to Kurama as he stood.

" **NO GOOD GODDAMN PIECE OF SHello Naruto what are you doing back so soon?"**

Naruto ignored the insults for the time being as he relocated the speeding Lee. " _You're gonna wanna see this."_

Lee was zipping back and forth in front of Naruto, likely to throw him off until Lee was ready for his next attack. The speeding green blur was almost invisible due to his insane speeds, and every time Lee touched the surface of anything he was rocketing off in another direction. No normal person would be able to track him at this speed.

Naruto smiled. Normal, funny.

Within the span of a blink, Lee went from zooming around in a distraction tactic at speeds that would boggle most anyone, especially a genin, to being draped over Naruto's leg. Naruto had moved without warning, without pretense, and now he stood with a folded Lee on his outstretched leg.

And then Naruto was in the air. What the actual fuck? Lee had somehow managed to shake off what should have been a rib-shattering kick, plant a single foot on the ground while wrapping his bandaged arms around Naruto's leg, and now Naruto was in the air.

The ground sped at Naruto's face at incredible speeds, and Naruto prepared to take the hit and retaliate. And then, green. EVEN MORE GREEN.

"That was a splendid battle, you splendid students of mine! Such displays of fiery youth are rare these days, ever since my rival has increased his hip attitude!" Guy exclaimed as he disentangled the two genin.

"Sensei! I apologize for going overboard with my actions! For disappointing you I shall lap Konoha ten times on my hands! And if I cannot do that, I will do ten thousand push-ups! And if—" Lee was silenced by a bone-crushing hug from his sensei.

"No, Lee! Naruto would have taken your hit just as youthfully you took his! The only problem is now I must pay attention to my other two splendid students as their fires are growing hotter and hotter."

Naruto sat in the dirt confused as the two rambled on about their youth and their fires.

**"You were right, I did want to see you have your ass handed to you. Totally worth it."**

" _Shut your yap, it was an even fight!"_

" **Naruto, that is a taijutsu** _ **specialist**_ **who has obviously trained harder than you did, and likely for just as long. He and his sensei are masters of the Strong fist, a brutal fighting style to both use and learn."**

" _It was brutal all right."_

Suddenly Naruto heard the sound of scroll paper. He knew and loved that sound, so he looked over to where it seemed to come from.

Rising like an ascending angel of war, Tenten trailed a pair of unraveling scrolls from her hands. Naruto sat in awe, completely enraptured by the sight.

"Ah, it seems her temper has gotten to her once again. Let us see how dear Neji handles it! Lee, if I interject and get Neji, be prepared to catch Tenten!"

"Yosh!"

Naruto's mouth gaped like a dying fish's when he saw the purpose of the scrolls. Tenten was raining hell on poor Neji. Weapon after weapon came pouring out of the scrolls. Shuriken, kunai, swords, maces, axes, spears, everything Naruto could think of to kill someone was pouring down on a single genin, one who looked completely at ease with the incoming wall of forged death.

And then... he moved. Neji made small, precise movements that somehow kept him out of harm's way. The gaps between those falling weapons must have been tiny, yet Neji hid in every single one. Near the end, the hail of weapons grew thicker. Naruto saw the stop in weapons, but the back end of the rain let almost no light through. Neji brought his hands up, and then he started _poking_ at the weapons. One of the swords went flying towards Naruto, which he gave a healthy distance since the last sword he touched cut him.

Neji made it through unscathed, blasting weapons away with his fingers. Soon he was spinning along with poking, and Naruto noticed how dance-like his style seemed. Two green blurs later, and Lee was in the air holding a surprised Tenten and Guy himself had a restrained Neji in one arm and a massive ax in the other hand. Neji was spun around in one of his dodges and must have missed the incoming weapon.

Naruto knew of the Byakugan. He had learned most of the prominent clans and their abilities both with the toads and with Iruka-sensei. But, it was one thing to know _of_ a dojutsu and to see a prodigy with one in action. Naruto knew he was good and could likely find a way around all of this team's bag of tricks, but they were pretty damn impressive.

Naruto walked up to the group, and he heard them all talking amongst themselves.

"One of your attacks almost managed to hit me. You're slowly becoming less of a disappointment to the village. Don't get too excited," that one was Neji. What a prodigal jerk.

"Tenten, your twin rising dragons has become so impressive! Truly you are a more youthful part of the village than Neji suggests!" Lee assured the fuming girl.

"That's quite alright, all of you! Take two cooldown laps of the village and we'll call it a day! Good work!" Guy stood with an odd pose as the three took off, his thumb's up aimed at their back. "Naruto, you are quite impressive yourself!"

"Thank you, Guy-sensei," Naruto bowed. This man must be one hell of a shinobi to have trained and earned the respect of those three.

"Ahh, I don't believe I've taught you anything to warrant being called sensei! Come, sit with me," the man said, never dropping his smile.

Naruto did so, following the jonin to the bench.

"You are a support genin, yes?"

"Yeah, but it hasn't been all that great yet."

"Ahh, dear Naruto! You are blessed with opportunity! You train and work on your own time, and you may choose your path for yourself! You can take missions as often as you'd like, and soon the buffer missions will end."

"Buffer missions?"

"Did you really think our ninja would be wasted doing menial chores? Yes, the odd job comes in every so often, but most D-Ranks in the real world consist of handling lowest level threats or helping the community in other ways. We're surrounded by woods, so wild animals are a common mission. Pests, threats. The most common is searching for lost people or pets. Tora is the closest example, but she's always within the city. Pulling weeds is not a ninja's job."

Naruto sat in contemplation, trying to absorb all the information he could. He wouldn't have a sensei to get his missions for him. Either he'd be added to one that needed him or he'd get his own.

"The real world is a scary place, young Naruto. You will want to move out of your old home, find love in your youth, and make a living as a shinobi! To do so, you have to understand a few things."

"Okay, Guy-sensei, I'm ready to learn."

The sun was starting to sink ever lower as Guy neared the end of his lecture on life.

"Remember, people aspire to be ninja because it gives the best opportunities for a comfortable life. You are a ninja, but there are many different kinds that are all acceptable to our beloved Hokage. Lee and I like to idolize the concept of being a 'Nice Guy', but Ibiki makes his living by being dark and intimidating. Be who you wish to be, and don't change unless it's who you've become."

* * *

Naruto sat at his kitchen table, eating instant ramen with a few extra vegetables thrown in. He had a lot to think about from Guy-sensei's lecture earlier. Did he want to move out? Well, eventually, but it was because he wanted to be truly independent. This apartment was a figurehead of his past life, and he wanted to be completely immersed in being a ninja. What did he want to do with his career? Maybe a hunter-nin? He could subdue people for a living. Or in extreme cases kill them. Bounties were good money, and Naruto did like to fight.

" _ **We**_ **like to fight, kit."**

" _Oh, you've been quiet for a while!"_

" **Eh. I don't like to interrupt your personal stuff. You might start asking my opinion."**

Naruto took that as a hint. " _What do you think we should do?"_

" **You do realize this is what I wanted to avoid right? Fine. I think you should become a hunter-nin. Maybe a solo assassin. I mean you're pretty much your own team. Army even. I'm starting to get my taste for battle back, and you haven't been in enough of them."**

" _Don't worry. I'm sure we can go on a mission with Tenten and them where we have to fight."_

" **Don't kid yourself, kit. When we** _ **get**_ **to fight. I'm part of you, I know how you feel about it. It's okay, I am a born fighter. I've been fighting all my life, whether it was to save or to destroy. But I'm good at it. So are you. And I love it. So will you."**

" _You seem pretty set on this,"_ Naruto raised an eyebrow, hoping the feeling would bridge the link.

There was a knock at the door, "Naruto? You home yet? Oh? I smell ramen, I'm coming in."

It was Kakashi.

"Oh, yes of course. Barge into my home why don't you," Naruto joked as he made room for his uncle at the table.

"I just came by to tell you I spoke with all the jonin sensei today. I see you've already impressed Guy."

"You know him well?"

"Eh, you could say that. We've been rivals for years so you pick up a thing or two."

"What? He was talking about you?"

"Mmm," Kakashi leaned back in the dining chair. "Anyway, Guy and I convinced all the jonin to have you stop by tomorrow and get acquainted with their teams. You'll probably back them up one mission or another, so you might as well get to know them."

"Okay, what times tomorrow?"

"Training ground seven with me at eight. Kurenai will be at Training ground three at ten, and Asuma will have his team at training ground ten around noon. So get there by one."

"Okay, see you tomorrow at eight."

* * *

Naruto strolled up to training ground seven at quarter to eight. He had expected to see a team already working; training their asses off and improving as ninja. Instead, he found a sulking Kaito, a brooding Sasuke (but according to Kurama he's an Uchiha and that's expected of him), and a fawning Sakura.

"Uh, hey guys! Whatcha doin?" Naruto asked as he approached the three.

"Naruto. Hello," Sasuke greeted, never removing his chin from his hand.

"Two words, not bad," Naruto commented with a smile. Kaito laughed lightly at this, and Sasuke smirked.

Sakura though, she went from pink to red real quick.

"What makes you think you can interrupt our team training like this? And why are you making fun of Sasuke?" she grated. Is this why Shikamaru doesn't like talking to girls?

"Sakura," Sasuke said plainly. Sakura looked at him hopefully, almost as if it was the first thing he had ever said to her. "Shut up."

She looked devastated, and Kaito looked furious. Naruto watched the exchange and was in a state of nearly morbid fascination.

"Why do you have to be such a dick, Sasuke? Would it kill you to have a bit of decency every now and again?" Kaito started to ramble. This had definitely happened before.

"Hey! Don't yell at Sasuke like that! He didn't mean it!"

"I meant it."

"Sasuke!"

"Kaito!"

Naruto crossed his arms and leaked his Killing Intent. Not a lot of it, just enough to make them all stop yelling at each other.

"You guys are a team right?" Naruto asked, absolutely incredulous.

"We try," Kaito cracked back.

"You guys know that one day you'll be killing for each other, right?" Naruto's voice didn't change.

This made the three shift a bit, clearly uncomfortable now.

"Sasuke, Sakura is your team med-nin, and you want to openly insult her? When she could decide to let an infection eat your arm away or allow poison to kill you off?"

"I would never let anything hurt Sas—" Sakura started.

"You mean what Kaito is trying to do for you? He tried to defend you, and you bit his head off! You guys don't have to love each other, but at least respect each other enough to trust everyone here with your life."

All three of the team seven genin looked at the ground in shame.

"And why aren't you training?" Naruto continued his questions.

"Kakashi sensei was supposed to be here an hour ago, and now we only have the field for two more hours," Sakura explained.

"He's always late like this, we hardly get training in," Kaito added.

"AND YOU'RE WASTING YOUR TIME AWAY WAITING FOR HIM?" Naruto couldn't believe his ears.

"What would you have us do, Naruto?" Sasuke asked, more than a little upset at being looked down on.

"Fucking get along for starters. You have this field for three hours, and you don't make use of every second you're here? That's going to get you killed. Or even worse, your friends killed."

Naruto was not happy. And he rest knew it, avoiding looking him in the eyes.

"Will you help us then? We don't know what to do without a sensei here," Kaito asked sheepishly.

"Fine. How good are you all at tree walking? Give me a fighting time."

No responses.

"Guys?" Naruto asked, totally confused. "How long can you fight on a tree?"

"Um, after we learned in class I never really tried it out…" Sakura spoke softly.

Naruto actually sat down and buried his head in his arms.

" **These kids are so fucked."**

" _Go to sleep. I have to fix them."_

"Okay new plan! You all are gonna spar against me, and after I'm going to give you my honest opinions!" Naruto told them cheerily.

"Do you have a deathwish?" Kaito asked, his eyes wide in surprise.

"He'll mop the floor with all of us, don't worry about him," Sasuke said as he entered his favorite offensive stance of the Interceptor Fist style the Uchiha preferred.

"Umm, okay! I can do this with Sasuke's help!" Sakura said aloud and took place next to her obsession. Interest, sorry.

Kaito slipped into the academy stance and filled into Sasuke's other side.

Naruto entertained the three for a solid half hour. He didn't move from his spot more than three times, the three times they accidentally worked together. Naruto called a stop to the poor excuse of a spar and watched as they all collapsed in a heap of sweating bodies.

"Well, you tried."

"How, what?" Kaito managed between gasps of air.

"Well, you guys are honestly horrifying to watch. Sasuke you have the best form and the most jutsu, but they are both unrefined. You lack discipline and patience, and you have no idea what teamwork is."

Sakura couldn't even manage an insult.

"Kaito, you rely too much on Sasuke and not enough on your own skills. And when you do, you don't really use them. You try to copy what Sasuke did and hope you do it better. Attacking someone like me head-on is a horrible idea."

Kaito looked up for a split second to nod in acceptance of Naruto's critique.

"Sakura, you were probably less than useless in that fight."

Naruto's words froze everyone's breath. Sakura looked up with tears threatening to overflow at the harsh words. And Naruto didn't say them to belittle her, she could tell he spoke with his own truth.

"You are not a fighter. You are a medic, at best you are a support fighter. When we started the match, the three of you surrounded Sasuke, hoping to use him as a spearhead. Which might work, if the three of you could fight somewhat equally. Sakura should have been in the middle, preferably behind you. To be protected."

The three had stopped panting and sat in the dirt.

"Sakura, you weren't put on this team because you're a heavy hitter like Sasuke. Kaito is here because he's so middle of the road, very versatile. _You_ are here because of your smaller chakra reserves. Which means better medical ninjutsu. And possibly genjutsu. I'm not saying you can't learn offensive techniques, but you will serve your team better as a support."

"You're probably right," the girl sounded dejected.

"Don't worry about it, Sakura," Kaito started. "We may be protecting you, but once you learn medical ninjutsu you'll be saving us!"

She looked up sharply as if to snap at him again, but she seemed to think better of it. "Thank you, Kaito."

"What about me, Naruto?" Sasuke asked lowly, still staring at the dirt. "You told me that one day I'd be great, that you believed in me. You didn't even attack us! And we're defeated! How is that great?!"

Naruto knew Sasuke was close to breaking. "Because you're narrow-minded. Impulsive. Selfish. You're so determined to grow that you're trying to grow on your own. I am this strong because I trained every day for years, with people helping me. Guiding me. You have an entire team to help you. Learn to accept it."

Sasuke nodded and walked to the far side of the training ground. Sakura got up, looked at Kaito, and followed him.

"You weren't horrible today," Naruto told the only remaining member of team seven as he sat down.

"We didn't even touch you." The dejected black haired genin said.

"Not many kids our age will. Yesterday I sparred with another team. They've been together for almost two years, and each one of them could wipe the floor with every one of this year's teams alone. Time will lead to growth, Kaito. Especially on an elite team."

"Where did you learn all this stuff? You're so… good at all of this. And teaching," Kaito looked at Naruto expectantly.

"While I was training there was a lot of lectures on shinobi lifestyle. Actual, useful, interesting lectures," Naruto joked with the other boy. Tension started to ease up as the two laughed. "My teachers were very wise."

The two sat in silence for a bit, but Kaito had something he was struggling to get out. Naruto could see it. "Naruto, I should be honest with my team, right?"

"Always."

"Okay. I want to tell you too. About… my family."

Naruto was visibly surprised at this. "I thought you came from the orphanage?"

"Yeah… the Hokage put me there. He's the reason I'm still alive."

Naruto scooted closer to the boy.

"My full name is Kaito Ito. The Ito clan were not necessarily…" Kaito struggled with the words.

"Upstanding citizens?" Naruto offered.

"Yeah. So you know?"

"Not all of it. Go on, I want you to tell me," Naruto lied about his ignorance, but Kaito needed this.

"My family rebelled. They weren't happy with the village, with the Hokage. I was told that they moved to a smaller town south of here, a glorified lumber mill really, and killed everyone there to make it their new home. They tried to get into the slaving business and kidnapped a lot of younger girls to sell from nearby villages. The Hokage didn't hear about it until a while later, he thought that the Ito simply left Konoha. The Hokage ordered a total 'eradication' of my clan."

Naruto sat quietly until this part. "Do you hate him?"

"No. He made the right choice. We were all guilty, except me I guess. The Hokage led the attack himself to restore honor to the village for allowing the Ito to do what they did, but he didn't kill me. I was just a kid, I don't even remember any of this. He brought me back, erased my last name, and set me at the doorstep of the orphanage."

Naruto grasped Kaito's arm to comfort him. "You're on a good path. I'm sure opening up with your team will make you all closer, and stronger. Go ahead, I have a few words for Kakashi before I go.

Kaito spun around, looking for his sensei. Kakashi appeared next to the two genin, also sitting down. Kaito spun and screamed, his nose almost touching Kakashi's orange book.

"Go ahead, Kaito, I have to speak with Naruto too."

Kaito slowly nodded before making his way to the others.

"You are a shitty sensei."

"I was giving you time to work on them."

"No, you were reading Ero-sensei's book in a tree while I did your job."

"This literature is an art form."

"You're just a pervert, Kakashi."

"Ouch, no respect at all!"

"Listen, I know what you're trying to do with them."

"Oh no, you're going to give me one of the speeches you got from the toads aren't you?"

"Shut up. You're trying to bind them all together, to make a powerful chain."

"Here we go with the metaphors, you should just grow warts and be a toad, Naruto."

"Kakashi, their chain will break at the weakest link. They are ALL, weak links. I mean, knocked out by a rabbit kind of weak links. You have to step it up."

"Naruto I think I know how to do my job—"

"I'll tell Jiraiya-sensei to postpone his next release."

"DEAR GOD CALM DOWN! Fine, fine. Just get out of here and see Kurenai. Blackmailing little…" Kakashi continued to grumble as he went to spend an hour training with his team.

It was much of the same with Kurenai. Naruto sparred with her team and gave them feedback after. Hinata struggled around him, but otherwise, it was both as good and as bad as he had expected.

Kurenai gave Naruto free range during his assessment, so she stepped back to watch and listen.

"Shino, your bugs are very impressive," Naruto started.

"Thank you."

"But you are one dimensional. You are an amazing asset for tracking, but in a fight, you risk becoming a liability to your team. Your bugs can suck chakra, yes. But that takes time. And the stronger the opponent, the more time you need. You have to add more to your fighting style somehow, so you aren't an open target for your team to protect."

Shino only nodded stiffly.

"Kiba, Akamaru," Naruto shifted his focus.

"That's us!" Kiba piped up, his puppy tapped next to him.

"You need control. Over your techniques and your emotions. You can't let failure to hit an opponent make you lose focus. And don't _talk_ about what you're about to do. That's fucking stupid and will get you killed. You fight someone ruthless, they kill you while you talk. You fight someone smart, they figure you out before you finish and kill you _after_ you talk."

Kiba twitched at the harsh words, but he knew Naruto was telling the truth.

"Hinata?"

The girl eeped. And blushed. And looked away.

"You looked the best," Naruto stated simply. When she started hyperventilating a little he realized his mistake and his own blush threatened to show. In order to save face in front of the guys, Naruto continued quickly, "fighting! You were the best looking fighter."

There was a snicker from Kurenai's direction.

"You obviously have the most training. I know Hyuuga start very early, and it shows. You have to most fluidity in your attacks, and you have the clearest head. Your Gentle Fist is formidable, but I really suggest adding to your arsenal. There may come a day when you face someone you can't hurt with your clan's style."

" **Oh, quit talking about yourself so much!"**

" _Shut up! I'm working here!"_

"But most of all, you lack confidence. You won't take any small risks, and you are constantly visibly second guessing yourself. Stop that. You are the most skilled fighter on your team. Shino is the stealthiest, Kiba is the strongest, and you have the most skill. You have to be willing to be confident in your choices. It's the only way you'll improve. If you want to be the leader of your team, try. Do you want to learn more jutsu regardless of clan opinion? Do it. Know what you want, and grab it by the balls. Don't be timid."

Naruto had a bit more invested in Hinata's speech than he cared to admit, but he was volunteering so he was allowed to play favorites. Right?

Hinata struggled to speak at first, but then did so the loudest anyone had ever heard from her.

"Thank you, Naruto," her clear voice was unmarred by stutters or fear, and Naruto nodded to avoid following that beautiful sound with his own voice.

After the silence, Kurenai cleared her throat. "Naruto, why don't you come back after you go see Asuma? I have something I want to discuss with you, but it will have to wait until after my team's training."

"Sure thing, I'll be back later," Naruto started to walk away.

Once Naruto was well off the field, he heard footsteps running up behind him. Normally, he'd be on edge, but he knew those footsteps. He had played tag with them many times before.

"Naruto!" Hinata called out. Her stutter was all but gone, but her voice still rang with indecision.

"Yes?" Naruto walked back towards her and saw her team watching them from the field.

"I've made my choice," she said this with finality. She left no room for fear, or indecision, or even room for Naruto to breath. In the books, this is where she'd kiss him. But.

She had already grabbed him by the balls. Literally. And Naruto couldn't breathe, mostly out of fear... and a bit of pain.

"You, are my choice, Naruto," she said again, placing the other hand on his not-moving chest and leaning in to hear his answer.

Naruto was ecstatic to hear the words, to be sure. But he was still a decent human being and he wasn't sure if she knew what she was doing. "H-Hinata," great. Now he had a stutter around _her_.

"Yes, Naruto," her eyes half closed as she leaned in.

"You are literally crushing my testicles," his voice was strained to the max, a whole octave higher.

Hinata also froze. And then, a fountain of blood erupted from her face and launched her backward. Luckily her grip loosened, and 'the boys' were free. Her team started running towards them, and Naruto escaped via shunshin as Kurama filled his head with laughter.

* * *

"Shikamaru you're too fucking smart, Choji don't be afraid to hit people, and Ino be prepared to take suggestions from your teammates. They aren't orders, none of you can do that. That being said, don't try to boss them around. You are a team, not a hierarchy. Asuma can I go home now?" Naruto rushed through the final evaluation. He was both rattled due to Hinata and upset that he fell for Shikamaru's trap.

"You headed somewhere, Naruto?" the bearded jonin asked around a cigarette.

"Just home, it's been a day."

" **Now Naruto, what you're feeling is totally natural. You're a growing boy and she's very—"**

" _PLEASE STOP IT'S BEEN AN HOUR!_ "

" **We've got a lot of time together, kit."**

Naruto cut the link again. He'd been doing that a lot lately. "Just home. Yeah."

Asuma nodded in approval, and Naruto prepared to leave.

"It was great hanging out again, Naruto!" Choji called as Naruto grabbed the few things he had brought.

"Yeah, come by more often. You make things a bit less of a drag," Shikamaru commented, totally nonchalant.

"Naruto? I was hoping I could talk to you," Ino said quietly. She didn't meet his eye.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure whatever. Tomorrow or something meet me near the park after training gotta go bye."

Ino watched him leave and made sure to save the time for tomorrow. She _had_ to talk to Naruto. 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This marks the end of the introduction arc! Honestly, it went on far longer than I would have liked, but I like to think we all have a pretty good sense of the story because of it, right? Heh, I can only hope. So this chapter, there are a few problems introduced to Naruto. The biggest of them... people. We'll see how six years of isolation has impacted Naruto's ability to 'people'. if you catch my drift.
> 
> Side note, there will be a bonus A/N at the end of the chapter detailing my logic on distance and travel times in the Narutoverse. Read and enjoy this story that I own no part of!

Naruto woke up early, the same way he had for the last six years. The sunlight hadn't quite started peeking through his window, but the sky was light enough to let Naruto know it was time to roll out of bed. Today was going to be… different. There wasn't a whole lot he could do until he went on a mission with someone, and most of the older ninja still didn't like him. He knew they didn't hate _him_ per se, but Kurama.

" **Bah, a bunch of idiots if you ask me."**

" _I have to work with a handful of these idiots you know."_

That stalled the conversation within Naruto's head as he made his breakfast. He wasn't a stellar cook by any means, but he could manage a fried egg and rice. Maybe Naruto could train today? More like look for techniques to try and learn.

That was the plan. Naruto would go to the library for a few hours, maybe try out a jutsu or two, then meet Hinata on the path to the training grounds… Feck. Ino.

" **I think you mean 'fuck' Naruto."**

" _What am I supposed to do?"_

" **I mean that's a pretty obvious choice. Crush one and meet the other like an idiot, OR you can do what any sensible person would and use shadow clones. Since, you know, it's literally impossible for someone to tell the difference. If you distribute the chakra right."**

Naruto sat, slightly miffed about how easily Kurama came to the conclusion. " _That. That's too easy, it would never work."_

Kurama snorted in Naruto's mindscape, he knew Naruto was just being a stubborn idiot about it.

Naruto decided to spend the early morning hours training his body with the gravity seal on. He might as well get out some frustrations during training, and he could do the same after he found a suitable jutsu to learn.

Naruto also decided to spend as much time as possible in the library. Maybe if he was lucky, a nuke-nin would break in and kill him. 

* * *

Naruto had started his slow walk to the park. The library was actually quite a nice place. As a genin, he only had access to a few low-level C-Ranked techniques. There was only one that Naruto was interested in, the Fuuton: Reppusho, or Wind Release: Gale Palm. Naruto scoured the shelves for more, but he figured that most of the better ones were kept by clans.

Naruto had gotten a decent start on the technique, not bothering to use shadow clones. He found that for learning a new skill it was best to suffer through it on your own, and then master it using clones. Naruto wanted to be able to get the jutsu down so well that he could fire it off with only his left hand, leaving his right one free to throw kunai or shuriken.

Naruto went over the hand seals in his head as he walked and eventually realized that he was mainly trying to distract himself from reality. He had to decide which girl to send the clone to. On one hand, Hinata was his oldest, closest friend. But the tension between them right now is likely a bit hard to cope with. Ino didn't really mean much to Naruto, other than being a girl who listens to her father. That was positive in most senses. She didn't really have too much reason to speak to Naruto, so maybe Naruto could just get that over with and then speed over to Hinata.

That's a great idea! He could send a clone to Hinata, ask her to wait a few extra minutes, and finish up whatever Ino wanted.

Naruto made a quick messenger clone, one with hardly any chakra. It would only last about an hour, but it was enough to get the message across and keep Hinata company. Naruto then started the brisk walk to the park, now confident in his choice.

" **When is something interesting going to happen?"**

Naruto rolled his eyes as he walked.

" _Look, just because life's going well for me doesn't mean that something bad's going to happen!"_

" **You're a jinchuuriki. A** _ **known**_ **jinchuuriki. Just wait, I'll give it a month before someone tries to kill you."**

" _And who do you think could take us on? Huh?"_ Naruto thought with a smirk on his face.

" **Oh, then how about that?"**

Naruto focused on the outside world instead of his inner dialogue, and his heart dropped. Ino was indeed at the park bench waiting for him, but someone else was there too. Someone taller, just as blond, but more… father-like. Damn Kurama jinxing his good fortune. What's the worst that could happen right?

"Uh, well, hello?" Naruto managed to stumble through the greeting.

Ino didn't look up from her shoes. "Hi, Naruto."

Naruto looked at the other man in confusion, and then back at Ino. Ino's father (presumably) cleared his throat to speak up.

"Naruto, I believe there is a tad bit of history between you and my daughter. By extension, there would be history between you and me," Ino's father spoke in a tone that betrayed little of his feelings or thoughts, and Naruto swallowed his apprehension in order to respond.

"I mean, that was so long ago, I don't really see why there would be a need to bring it up," Naruto tried to slip out of the predicament.

"Naruto, I'm sorry. About what happened when we were kids," Ino spoke up suddenly. She was now trying to look at Naruto, glancing away every few seconds.

"What?" Naruto was dumbfounded.

"We both are, Naruto," her father said. "It was purely my decision, and I hope you hold no ill will towards my daughter."

Naruto's mind went blank for a split second. "Um, yeah! I mean, no. I don't really care anymore, so there aren't any problems!"

"Thank you, but I still wish to tell you the reasoning behind my previous decision. For your sake. Please, sit," Ino's father moved to his left to make room for Naruto. Naruto slid in between the two Yamanaka's.

"I'm really not upset—" Naruto tried to say.

"Please, Naruto, this is about more than just your feelings. My name is Inoichi Yamanaka, and I am the head of my clan. Back when you and my daughter were children, there was a… heavy stigma about being associated with you," Inoichi started slowly.

"Yes, because of a furry problem I'm hiding," Naruto stated, making the older man jump. "I'm not too worried about talking about it, I plan to tell every team I work with anyway," Naruto reassured.

"Ah, I see," Inoichi mumbled as Ino looked like she was dying of curiosity. "Nevertheless, I couldn't allow my daughter to be seen with you for these reasons. I personally know better than to believe all that. I'm comfortable in the fact that… hmm… the 'storage scroll is not the kunai'. The general ninja population has a much harder time coming to terms with this, though. You will not walk a smooth road to earn the village's love."

"Dad, I'm sorry but what are you guys talking about?" Ino finally spoke up.

"I'll explain what I can later. Naruto here seems to be in a rush for something, so we need to keep things brief."

Naruto smiled at the man, happy that he understood.

"Naruto, you'll have to play the political game as much as the Ninja game. You have no clan to protect you, but you also have no elders to hold you back. I encourage you to find out who your friends are and which enemies to look out for. Now that I am certain that you aren't like a few _other_ cases, you have the support of the Yamanaka clan."

Naruto didn't know what to say. Was the backing of a clan a big thing? Would this make the Yamanaka a target? "Thank you, thank you so much!"

"Come on, Ino. It's time we get back for dinner. Naruto, I suggest you find time to discuss the importance of what we talked about. Have a good evening," and the two left, leaving Naruto in the park.

Not forgetting his other obligation, Naruto stood, shook his head clear, and used the shunshin to get to where his clone was talking with Hinata. 

* * *

Naruto appeared in front of the Hyuuga heiress just as his clone popped, giving Naruto only a scant few memories.

"Hiya! I take it I didn't keep you waiting long?" Naruto asked as he smoothed out his dark orange shirt.

"No, only a few minutes. Sensei kept me back to talk for a bit. I cleared up what… wh-what happened last time," her speech seemed much clearer than Naruto had ever heard it. Well, until she talked about _the incident_. But that's understandable.

"Oh! Ha! Yeah, that. She wasn't mad right?" Naruto asked, just as nervously.

"She was more upset that you didn't come back like you said you would, although that is slightly because of me…" she answered.

"No! I mean, kind of, but only because I was too scared. You know I didn't mean what I said literally right?" Naruto asked the last part with a small grin.

Hinata slapped Naruto's arm lightly before she laughed in response, "I know that! It was an accident!"

Naruto laughed with her for a moment and then fell silent.

"I meant what I said, you know. I've made my choice," she whispered.

"U-uh what exactly does that mean?" Naruto adopted her stutter in his hesitation.

"You," her voice was nearly inaudible. "I want you, Naruto."

Naruto's mind was a mess at the moment, and if he hadn't cut ties with Kurama when he showed up he was sure he'd hear laughter by now. What are you supposed to say to that? She's pretty much a PRINCESS, how do you respond to this? "Well, I think you're strong?"

Hinata's face fell at that. Gods, he was bad at this. "Look, Naruto, I know it would be hard because of my clan and all, but I'm sure if you follow your dream and become Hokage they would let us… you know, at least be together!" she pleaded.

Oh. OH. She wanted to like. Date. Would it be pushing it to ask for just… extra friends? Or isn't that basically what dating is? "Why would it be difficult?" Naruto asked to buy himself some time. He was actually sweating right now, and there was no way in hell he'd ask the Kyuubi for help.

"Well, I'm not really supposed to choose my husband. I have to marry in order to strengthen the clan. But my father has argued for my case, and I'm allowed to at least give approval to my suitors if I prove to be a powerful shinobi," Hinata said. "Also, there would be the fact that you don't come from a clan, and all clan heads of the Hyuuga are married to men that increase either clan wealth or clan standing. We would be the first exception. If you agree of course! I don't want to get married yet or anything just… I really like you, Naruto."

Naruto literally had no idea how to respond to this. What was with all this clan stuff hitting him today?

"Also you'd have to start paying the clan tithes for every mission for the protection of the clan," Hinata added as she twiddled her thumbs.

"Hinata. You, are a girl. I, am Naruto," Naruto started talking mostly because he felt like it was expected of him at this point. "And I… don't know. You're my best friend, and I really really like you too." He felt like that summed up the situation nicely. Problem solved!

"So you want to try?" her eyes were hopeful.

Naruto was scared. Actually, genuinely scared. He had no experience in this field, this wasn't really something you could train for. "I think, no? Because then things would change and be really hard for you, right?" that had to be a pretty decent answer.

"Oh," Hinata looked away, hiding the tears that threatened. Maybe she _wasn't_ actually good enough for the boy of her dreams. "Then, S-sensei wanted to see you on the training field. I have to go now," she stood as she said so, her tone starting to revert back to its timid predecessor.

Naruto, almost oblivious to the change, also stood. "Yeah, guess I should go see her then. Bye, Hinata!" Naruto yelled as he ran from the unfamiliar scene. He looked back once, and he saw his best friend slowly walking away. 

* * *

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at his desk, much the same way as he did daily. The years had not been kind on the Third Hokage, his service had run long by many, many years. He was getting to the end of the letters that had been flown in that morning, and he was getting weary of the daily trudge.

Most letters came in from other, smaller villages ran by a few elite Jonin of his choice. These smaller outposts stood to protect whatever village it was stationed in and take the local missions. The letters contained a report on what missions were taken and how much was sent to Konoha's bank in the form of taxes. Hiruzen gave most letters the big red stamp and sat in a pile to be sorted by a secretary.

The last letter, though, was sealed with the kanji for 'oil', a telltale sign that it was from his white-haired student Jiraiya. Reports from Jiraiya weren't uncommon, but this one came in the middle of the expected report dates. Whatever Jiraiya had discovered through his spies must warrant immediate attention if it couldn't wait for the remaining two weeks.

_Lord Hokage,_

_Things are not looking too good out in the big bad world._

_Iwa has somehow gotten word of an orphaned, blond-haired genin with no ties to the Yamanaka. Rumors are starting to spread that the Fourth has a Legacy, and Iwa is starting to stir because of them. I think there's a spy in the village, Naruto is only known within Konoha, and I don't think he'd associate with travelers enough to get the word out about himself. On another note, The war in Kirigakure has taken a bad turn. Their Mizukage, Yagura, has disappeared, the three-tails along with him. Fighting has picked up its pace, and the insurgent side is starting to feel more hopeful. Some say that there is a mercenary group called the 'Akatsuki' hunting Yagura. I don't know if they are being paid or are interested in the Sanbi for themselves._

_Also, Orochimaru has been busy. He has followers now, their numbers are growing quite rapidly due to a 'business partner' he's picked up somewhere. I haven't found the identity of this man, but I will keep looking._

_To sum the worst of things up, watch out for cloaks that depict red clouds, they are the symbol of the Akatsuki. Be prepared to defend against a raging Biju, although the three tails should be much more manageable than the Kyuubi was. I suggest keeping that Mokuton user relatively close. And lastly, I suspect Orochimaru to try something within two years. I have no real proof, but something about the thought of that scaley bastard makes me tense._

_Keep Naruto out of trouble for me,_

_The Toad_

Poor news indeed. It was nothing immediately threatening, but enough to think about making preparations for large scale battles. If not war with Iwa. Again. And anything involving Orochimaru was bad news, so that surely didn't help the Hokage's frayed nerves.

* * *

_The training field with Kurenai_

"Can you feel your clone?" the genjutsu mistress asked Naruto, who had his eyes closed in concentration.

"Yes, he's just over to my left a few dozen yards," Naruto answered her, his nose scrunched with the mental effort.

"Good. Now, make another clone, right next to him. Don't make him do it, mold the chakra yourself."

Naruto did so, but the first two clones popped into existence next to him. The third attempt, however, made it to the first shadow clone. Granted, it had almost no chakra and was destroyed a second later, but it was there.

"I can't believe that worked!" Naruto yelled in excitement.

"Being able to sense your own chakra is one of the first steps to becoming a sensor style shinobi. You probably don't have the patience or need to learn that much though," Kurenai thought aloud.

"Why am I doing this again?" Naruto asked as he dispelled the remaining close.

"One way to make genjutsu stronger is to already have your target surrounded by your chakra. In a sense, it's a lot like your trick with the shadow clone, but personally, I use my Presence."

"That sounds great, but I don't use genjutsu. And I don't know what 'Presence' is."

"You probably know it as Killing Intent, but once you've mastered it," Kurenai smiled and Naruto felt a sense of complete peace surround him, "you can make it whatever feeling you want. It's just your emotions controlling the chakra you emit and aim at a target."

Naruto nodded and felt the comforting presence draw away. This was the kind of interaction he was used to. Training and learning. Not… whatever else he was doing earlier.

"So, Wherever your Killing Intent reaches, you should be able to summon a clone. I've seen people envelop an entire field in their aura before, so it should really open up your choices."

Naruto knew that she had earned the title of 'sensei' in his eyes. She had gone out of her way and had taught him something, and he was grateful for that. "Thank you, Kurenai-sensei."

The woman only smiled. "Now, how did things go with that sweet little girl on my team, huh?"

And just like that Naruto was lost again. "Um, well, we talked about how we were, uh, friends and stuff. And then she said a bunch of things about clan restrictions and I'm not really sure about the rest. But, when I told her that she was my best friend and I didn't want to make things harder within her clan, she said okay and went home! So I think I did pretty good."

Kurenai knew it wasn't her place to interfere, no matter how much she adored Hinata. Either Naruto was really that dense, or Hinata didn't lay things out as clearly as she said she would. Or, heavens forbid, Naruto really just wasn't interested.

"Well, it's good to hear you two are so close," Kurenai managed.

"I'm going to go and make dinner now, thank you for the lesson, Sensei!" Naruto called out after the silence stretched for too long. He ran off and waved, leaving a conflicted Kurenai behind. 

* * *

Naruto sat at his dinner table eating the fried rice and fish he had just finished making. Kakashi sat across from him, reading that perverted book that Ero-sensei wrote.

"Well, Naruto, you've impressed all the jonin."

"Does that mean," Naruto swallowed what was in his mouth, "that someone will take me on a mission soon?"

"I believe Guy is taking his team out for an easy C-Rank at the beginning of next week, I'm sure I could ask him to fit you in. Most of his team like you already."

"All right!" Naruto celebrated the information with another massive mouthful.

"On the downside, Iwa might be out blond hunting again."

"Wait, what?" Naruto asked, not bothered enough to stop eating.

"You remember how the Yondaime is a war hero from the Third Great War? Well, that's because—"

"Because he decimated like a thousand of their shinobi and they're sore losers right? I mean, jeez it was a literal war. What did they expect to have happened?"

"Naruto, they think the Yondaime had a child before he died, and they want to kill whatever remains of their country's biggest stain in their history."

"And they are going to do this by killing blonds? What about the Yamanaka?"

"Naruto, that's not the point…" Kakashi remembered the letter from Jiraiya he had received. It was time Naruto knew. He was strong enough to defend himself from or run from most anyone Iwa could throw at him, and he was hopefully mature enough to handle keeping the secret for now.

"There's a point to this? Oh, wait, did the Yondaime actually have a kid? Is it going to be my mission to protect him? Man, that would make everyone respect me! I'd be a step closer to the hat and—"

"Naruto!" Kakashi interrupted. Naruto took note of his uncle's tone and even stopped eating.

"It's time you knew the truth. Your full name. The reason why Jiraiya is your godfather," Kakashi took a breath. "Two of three of Jiraiya's students didn't see the end of the Third Great War, and the one that did was the only one close enough to name Jiraiya the godfather of his firstborn."

This bit of information sunk in immediately and Naruto paled in realization.

"But things were kept hidden for your safety. Precisely because of what Iwa's trying to pull now. They would do anything to get to you. But Jiraiya thinks you're strong enough to know the truth. He told me to apologize for him. He wanted to be here to call you by your name. I'm closer to you're brother than your uncle since your father stepped in for mine."

Naruto's mouth was gaping, and he felt dizzy. This had to be a dream. He was dreaming.

"And when you become a Chunin, you will receive all the benefits that your name demands, Naruto Namikaze."

That was it. Naruto knew that he was going to start a war just because of his name. Naruto knew that he carried a name that most would kill for. And Naruto knew that his greatest idol was also his father.

" **Well hey, this is interesting!"**

And Naruto blacked out. 

* * *

Naruto spent the next week mostly traveling between his house where he sulked within his mind and the training grounds where he sulked while training. Kurama was a constant companion at least, as much as that didn't help.

Naruto had managed to get the Gale Palm down on his own in a day's worth of solo training, and the rest of the week there were a handful of clones working on getting the technique down to his left hand, and possibly with fewer signs.

Every day was also filled with practice in summoning clones further and further away from the original Naruto. Naruto would stand a few yards away from the fencepost normally used in taijutsu training, and he directed his KI at it. Once he was sure his chakra was around the post, he would summon a clone next to it and have it attack immediately. By the end of the week, Naruto could manage about fifteen yards with decent results. The clones were never as good as the ones summoned next to his person or even next to another clone and it took twice as much chakra, but Naruto had chakra to spare and they could fire off a jutsu or two to get the job done. The next step was managing more than one target at a time, but it wasn't going to be easy.

Naruto also spent a lot of time studying whatever sealing techniques he could find. There was one that would come in handy for someone like Kakashi, a masking seal that placed a genjutsu over the face of the person wearing it. The seal went on whatever article of clothing went over a person's head, like a hood or headband, and formed a one-way genjutsu over either all of or half of the person's face. In fact, Naruto suspected it was what Kakashi used whenever he had to eat in public.

Eventually, Naruto could no longer escape the attention of his friends. On the walk back to his apartment at the end of his week of fairly intense training, Naruto was intercepted by Choji.

"Hey, Naruto! How've you been!" the chip eating boy asked.

"Eh, training, studying up on some seals, you know how it is," Naruto told him as he walked.

"Oh, that sounds pretty cool. Say, my team is meeting up for a barbecue dinner, and sensei said we could invite you. Wanna come?" the question was punctuated by the crunching of potato chips.

"Uh," Naruto thought of his fridge and realized he would have to stop somewhere on his way home if he didn't go. "Yeah, why not?"

The two boys walked towards one of the better-known barbecue joints in town, making small talk along the way. As soon as the restaurant came into view, Choji started barging ahead. Naruto couldn't get any words in edgewise as he was dragged to a far corner booth that had the rest of Team Asuma in it.

"Naruto, glad you could make it!" Asuma called as he flipped a grilling piece of meat.

"Yeah, it's nice seeing you guys again," Naruto replied as he slid into the booth next to Shikamaru, who looked ready to fall asleep.

" **Something smells delicious. Eat whatever it is for me will you?"**

" _Hey, let me have some peace will ya? I'll eat, but I'm also 'networking'. Gotta work my people skills."_

" **Pfft, whatever you say, kit."**

"What have you been up to this last week, Naruto?" Ino asked as she poked at her salad.

"Training," Naruto told her as he threw on his own pieces of pork.

"And…?" Ino pushed.

"Um, studying sealing techniques?" Naruto added hesitantly.

"That's it?" Ino asked incredulously.

"Hey, sealing is hard! It takes time to perfect and I don't like to use shadow clones to do it unless I'm in a rush," Naruto defended.

"Well, how has your training been going? So far I've almost perfected my Shadow Neck Binding Technique, and Choji and Ino have both gotten stronger," Shikamaru asked to diffuse the tension.

"Mostly working my shadow clones in conjunction with my Killing Intent. Oh, and I'm trying to turn my killing intent into pure Presence like Kurenai-sensei did."

To show what he meant, Naruto focused a tiny bit of KI on an empty booth's table. The target was pretty close, so not too much intent leaked out and no one felt it. Naruto summoned a pair of clones sitting at the table, let them wave at his friends, and then mentally dispelled them.

" **Showoff."**

"Naruto, That was amazing!" Ino said as she saw the clones dispel.

"Eh, I'm working on it," Naruto responded as he took his first bite, a little bit after Choji took his first.

" _Oh, that is good."_

" **Don't I know it! Keep em coming!"**

"So, Naruto, what do you like to do when you're finished training?" Asuma asked, trying his best to make small talk and learn about the blond.

"Well, I guess study. Then eat and sleep."

The table was quiet for a bit as everyone ate, waiting for Naruto to add to his answer. Naruto, however, was content to just shovel more of the grilled meat chunks into his mouth.

"Uhh, so Shikamaru, has sensei beat you at shoji yet?" Ino asked to break the silence.

"FRIEND NARUTO! ARE YOU STILL HERE?!" Naruto jumped along with everyone else at the sudden yelling. That was lee.

Naruto stood and looked at the door where Lee had run in from. "Hi, Lee!"

There was a green blur, and suddenly the genin was in front of Naruto holding out a scroll. "I am here on behalf of Gai-sensei! This is a formal invitation to accompany my team on a C-Ranked mission starting tomorrow at noon! Do you accept thi—"

"Gods yes!" Naruto yelled enthusiastically as he snatched the scroll.

"I am off to prepare with five thousand push-ups! I look forward to seeing you tomorrow, Naruto!" Lee vanished in a burst of speed, the wind blowing napkins around.

Naruto looked at the friends he was eating with and prepared to leave himself. "Thanks for dinner guys, it was great!" Naruto then went for a handshake with Shikamaru. Halfway there, though, Naruto's hand changed to a fist, and then hesitantly back to a hand to rest on the boy's shoulder awkwardly. "I had fun, uh, later!" and Naruto was gone.

"Sometimes I forget how much like Gai that Lee kid is," Asuma commented.

"My gods he is horrible at social interactions. He's strong as hell, but he can't operate around people!" Ino cried out in despair as she took a bite of salad.

"Sensei, are all strong genin crazy?" Choji asked around his grilled pork.

"Just the really strong ones. You guys will be 'quirky' like that one day, probably right before you become jonin," Asuma told them, taking a long drag from a newly lit cigarette. 

* * *

Naruto sat in his room and opened the scroll almost reverently. This was his ticket to his first C-Rank mission, and in a sense, it was also the last handout he'd be getting from Kakashi. Naruto looked over the details carefully.

_Mission description: Missing household near North-Western border_

_Difficulty: C-Rank_

_Expectation: Possible bandit involvement, likely lost campers/hunters_

_Total Payout: 50,000 Ryo_

_Total time estimated: 26 hrs to the border (Light travel speed)_

_Three-day mission_

_26 hr return trip_

_Messenger Hawk arrived with the following message: Word from the Correctional Facility near the Kusagakure border is that there is an entire hunting family that supplies the facility with fresh game that has gone missing. The Warden is willing to pay for a low-level C-rank mission. Nearby towns lack proficient tracking ninja. Konoha's assistance is requested._

Naruto was excited. His first real mission would take him about five hundred miles away from home, at least it was that far if he remembered the maps correctly. He could get away from all these people problems and finally do something ninja-like.

" **Someone's excited."**

" _Don't pretend you aren't too!"_

" **Oh, I never said that. So. You prepared for a week-long mission?"**

Naruto thought for a minute. He'd need a storage scroll of provisions, probably another set of kunai and shuriken just to be safe, a few changes of clothes, and maybe something like a travel coat or cloak.

" _I'll have to pick up some rations, a new cloak, and another set of throwing weapons. Other than that I can pack my clothes tonight and be ready to go shopping tomorrow morning."_

" **It's about damn time you did something worth staying awake for."**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm using a quote I remember from somewhere that it took a messenger hawk three days to travel from Suna to Konoha. Canadian Geese can reportedly fly 1,500 miles in a day. According to my google search. I'm using a peregrine falcon as a reference, and they're typical travel speed sits around 60 MPH. I'm making Ninja messenger hawks a bit tougher, so they can fly farther in a day.
> 
> Assuming that a Hawk would travel about ten hours a day, which is still pushing it since it isn't a migratory bird like a goose, a Hawk could travel about 600 miles in a day on average. Granted, with good winds, the number could increase drastically, but I have almost no real experience with birds like this. That would make a three-day message a 1,800-mile trip. The map I'm using (Thank you Google) shows that The distance to the Kusa border is about a third of the distance between Konoha and Suna. I'm just eyeballing that. So a bird would make it in less than a day of travel, I'm putting that at about 500 miles away.
> 
> Let's say that light travel speed for a ninja would be 20 MPH, that would take roughly 26 hours allowing for detours. Although with Guy leading the pack, I am going to assume he would push them to a higher speed for crazy Guy-training purposes, we'll say 30 MPH. Maybe They can race and double the travel speed, and make it in a day. Who knows, Guy is crazy.
> 
> If anyone can confirm or help me fix the numbers with the birds, please feel free to pm or review!
> 
> Z.J


	10. Chapter 10

Naruto walked into Higurashi's shop once more. He liked the place, it had a very 'ninja' vibe going for it. Naruto needed a new set of weapons to throw, a week's worth of rations, and a travel cloak. Naruto was even considering adding one of the new seals he learned to hide his face. It would do little to protect him as a traditional porcelain mask might, but it also shouldn't impede his vision or smell.

"Hello, kid! Here for weapons, clothes, or rations?" an older looking man greeted as Naruto walked past the counter.

"Bit of everything, actually," Naruto replied casually.

Naruto had three thousand Ryo left from the initial ten he had kept from his first check. A normal set of kunai and shuriken would run him a full thousand, but he'd get a dozen kunai and a full two dozen shuriken. And nothing at this store was less than well-crafted.

"Do you forge your own weapons?" Naruto asked as he looked through the various packages.

"Most of them, yes. My daughter Tenten actually helps me with some of them. The rarer ones we have in stock we traded for, but I can attest to their quality!" Mr. Higurashi boasted. A true salesman indeed.

Naruto didn't spend too much time grabbing the rations he needed. There was a decent deal on standard travel rations, a week's worth for five hundred Ryo. For less than a hundred Ryo a day Naruto couldn't complain.

The travel attire is where Naruto spent most of his time. If his new cloak was half the quality of the gloves he bought he knew that they'd be well worth whatever price was set. There were several different coats for sale, and there were about half as many traveling cloaks. Naruto noticed that none of the jackets had hoods attached, which was something Naruto was looking for to keep out whatever rain he might be in.

Naruto started running his hands over the various cloaks, feeling how well the fabric seemed to glide under his fingertips. They all felt slick and tough on the outside, definitely waterproof. The inside felt a bit softer but still fairly tough. They all seemed to be made the same way, so Naruto only had to worry about color and design.

One cloak on the end caught Naruto's eye. It was jet black, and the sides didn't seem to come all the way around the front. Perfect for fighting in, his hands wouldn't get caught. The hood looked deep, and would likely hang over his face when pulled up.

"How much for this one?" Naruto asked.

"Ahh, a good choice. The outside is waterproof and much more durable than it looks. No branches will even come close to ripping that beauty! Nothing short of a blade will tear into that cloak, and the front stays open during combat to keep your arms free. I can give it away to you for no more than twelve hundred Ryo!"

Wow. A little pricey, sure. But boy did this man know how to sell. Granted, he probably thought Naruto was a typical genin that only wanted the cloak because it looked cool.

Naruto brought all of his purchases to the counter and laid them out. "Okay, kid. One set of kunai and shuriken, a week's worth of provisions, and one medium-sized travel cloak. I'd suggest hemming this up for now, but I'm sure you'll grow into it! Now, this brings your total to… a nice even two thousand, seven hundred Ryo," Mr. Higurashi smiled politely as Naruto paid for his haul.

"Thanks, Mr. Higurashi, I'll be sure to put these all to good use," Naruto promised as he left.

* * *

Naruto stood at the North gate at eleven forty-five, everything sealed away and in a bigger scroll hidden in a large pocket on his left leg. Naruto's new, black cloak was on, complementing his dark blue shirt and pants. The masking seal was already applied to the inside of the hood, and Naruto would activate it when he pulled it up.

Before long, an excited Lee ran up to the gate, literally bouncing in excitement. He had more energy than Naruto did sometimes, and he had the Kyuubi in him!

"Naruto! I very much like your new look! Very mysterious!" Lee managed to compliment in a halfway normal volume.

"Thanks, Lee. I see you're ready to go?" Naruto asked this with a small smile, joking about how the other genin couldn't stop moving.

"Yosh! I cannot wait to start our youthful mission!" was the response from the excited teen.

At that, Naruto noticed Tenten and Neji walking towards the gate. Guy wasn't too far behind them.

"Naruto, I like the cloak! I recognize it from the shop," Tenten teased.

"Naruto, I know this is your first actual mission, but don't you know enough to bring supplies?" Neji asked in a borderline rude manner.

Naruto kept his cool, though. He pat down the pocket halfway down his left leg as he said, "Extra clothes, my tent, rations, spare weapons, and a few bottles of water are all sealed away."

This slightly shocked everyone present.

"I am impressed, Naruto! I was unaware that you were proficient in the art of sealing!" Guy exclaimed.

"I wouldn't say I'm proficient, but I manage. Check this out," Naruto pulled up his hood and activated the seal, which caused a momentary shimmering effect to blur Naruto's vision before it cleared away.

"Naruto! I can no longer see your face at all! Not even your eyes! Can you still see?" Lee jumped to Naruto's side, trying to poke at where Naruto's eyes would be.

"Ah! Lee stop it!" Naruto backed away as the other two laughed. "It's just a genjutsu, Neji can still see through it!"

Neji momentarily activated his Byakugan and then confirmed it.

"In that case, if we are all ready to go we should get a move on! If we travel at twice the suggested travel speed we can make it in a day!" Guy-sensei yelled while posing.

"I say we triple the speed, Guy-sensei!" Lee shouted, matching his Sensei's pose.

"Lee!"

"Guy-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Guy-sensei!"

Tenten jumped at Naruto, knocking him to the dirt. "Look away!"

But it was too late. Naruto got a full view of the powerful… genjutsu?... of Lee and Guy hugging and crying in front of a sunset before he was driven to the dirt.

Naruto was mentally scarred already, and they hadn't even left the village.

* * *

The sun was set, and there was only about half an hour of daylight left. The team had pulled up about a mile from the house of the missing hunters, and three out of five of the group were absolutely exhausted.

Naruto stood hunched over, hands resting on his knees as he gasped for air. He had thought that the two spandex-wearing ninja was joking about trying to triple the travel speed, but boy was he wrong.

" **That was the most boring trip ever. It was just a bunch of running through the trees with those two green morons yelling at each other. And I thought you kept in shape! Why are you so tired?"**

" _Can we please, oh god, do this later?"_

" **Spoilsport. When are you going to fight something?"**

" _Jeez, Kurama! There doesn't have to be fighting! They probably just got lost!"_

"Okay, team! Time to set up camp! We have thirty minutes, so everyone set up your tents! Naruto, you are on firewood duty. Neji, you check the surrounding half mile for any shinobi or dangerous animals. Tenten, I want a fifty-yard perimeter around camp, detection traps more than defensive ones. Lee, start a fire. I'm going to run ahead and look at the house. Go!"

Naruto had never actually set up the particular tent he had brought. The fading light made things a bit harder for him, something he knew Neji likely found amusing. Naruto sent out three clones out to gather wood as he worked on setting up his small tent and bedroll.

Naruto finished his arrangements for the night and noticed that everyone was moving on to their second objectives. The light was fading quickly, so Naruto sent the mental message for his clones to hurry back with what wood they had. Naruto walked over to lee as the three clones re-entered camp.

"I got a good bit of wood to start, Lee. Here," Naruto took the bundle of smaller wood from the first clone. Lee struck his fire-starting rod once and immediately had an ember catch in his tinder bundle. Naruto was impressed. Lee was definitely suited to the job.

The other two clones dropped their armloads and walked off to find more. Another full trip from the three of them should suffice for the night.

Neji then stood from his seated position in the center of camp. Naruto figured he had scanned the area with his Byakugan. Not long after Tenten walked back into the small clearing, also finished with her task.

As the three sat silently near the now crackling fire, Guy-sensei reappeared. "Okay, eat up and get some rest in no more than two hours from now. We leave at first light, and we have some investigating to do at the house. It was too dark for me to see clearly by the time I found it, but I'm almost positive we aren't dealing with lost hunters," the usual jovial tone was missing from Guy's voice, but it was only for a moment. "Sleep well, my little genin! Tomorrow will surely be a day to showcase your fiery youth!"

" **Why did we have to partner with his team again?"**

" _Oh, shut up about it already. At least it looks like there'll be a fight like you wanted."_

" **I definitely told you so."**

* * *

"Neji, take lead," Guy said as the five approached the empty house. Naruto figured that Guy was trying to ready his team to be chunin at this point.

"Yes, Sensei," Neji replied shortly. Naruto had to take his orders from _this_ guy now.

"Naruto, check the yard and surrounding forest for signs of a struggle. You'll be fastest with your clones. Lee, check the shed for any hunting supplies. If you find any, then they definitely aren't hunting. Tenten," Neji activated his Byakugan, "I count six beds in the house. You go see how many pairs of boots or shoes are in the house. Check each room. I will scan the living room and kitchen for signs of kidnapping since that would most likely be where the family would have been."

The genin all took off to follow their orders while Guy stood and watched the performance. This was probably the real reason Naruto was invited. Not because they needed the backup, but because they needed another genin to make simulating orders and planning more realistic.

Naruto felt one of his clones pop, sending him memories of a trail that looked more than a little suspicious.

Naruto walked over to the area in question and looked more closely. This was something he was good at. Tracking, whether it be people or animals, was something Jiraiya had drilled into him during his last year training with him.

The trail was suspicious. True, it had normal animal tracks in it such as boar and deer, but the outsides of the trail were clean. Brushed, almost. And there were a few recently broken ferns and twigs along the sides, something animals were less likely to do than a human. Especially a human carrying someone.

Naruto followed the trail for a few yards and spotted what he was looking for. A brown patch of human hair. A woman's, judging by the length alone. Naruto dispelled his clones, sorted through their collective memories, and found nothing else out of the ordinary.

Naruto met the group back in the middle of the yard, where Neji asked for results on everyone's jobs.

"I can confirm that the family did not take their hunting equipment out of their shed," Lee reported, standing in a stiff salute which everyone ignored.

"I counted three pairs of boots in the house, not everyone was prepared to leave unless there are extra pairs of footwear, although I find it unlikely given this family's profession and likely income," Tenten reported, still professional but not stiff like Lee.

Naruto stood straighter and looked Neji in the eye. He may have been a prick, but he was the one Naruto got orders from for now. "I noted one false game trail. The trail has been doctored, with obvious signs of involuntary human usage signified by a lock of brown hair ripped off by a branch. The skill of hiding the trail suggests that it was either done by someone with training or a very good hunter."

Neji gave Naruto a surprised look before one of reluctant respect. "I see. I found no sign of a struggle in the kitchen or living, but also no sign of recent usage. I suspect it was also covered up by the attackers. Guy-sensei, my judgment is kidnapping by either a rival hunting family or ninja of some kind. Possibly samurai with ninja training."

"You all did very well, and I agree with all of you! Very impressive! Neji, you did well in command, but I'm taking back over," Guy announced with a thumbs up and a smile.

Naruto let out an internal sigh of relief as he was no longer under Neji's command.

"We will track these un-youthful scum. Neji! Please follow the trail Naruto mentioned as far as you can, and then lead us there!"

* * *

The five Konoha shinobi stood silently in the trees. Naruto had his hood up and mask on, making him appear like a being shrouded in darkness the way he was hugging the shadows. Neji had his Byakugan activated, and was speaking lowly to everyone.

"I see eight enemy shinobi surrounding six civilians, definitely our targets," he muttered loud enough for everyone to hear him.

"Sensei, I need orders on my methodology for when fighting breaks out," Naruto spoke up, just as softly as Neji.

The other genin looked confused, but Guy was filled in by Kakashi about this aspect of Naruto. "Naruto, fight to kill all but one, we'll need answers."

Naruto silently nodded as Neji turned off his Byakugan.

Tenten then spoke up, "Sensei, will we wait for nightfall to attempt our rescue?"

Lee chimed in before Guy could answer, "We may wish to make our move now since we do not know if the captives are in any danger!"

"You both make good points. It would be safest to get in, secure the civilians under the cover of nightfall, and get out. I'm sure we could take them head-on if we had to since they are likely two standard teams of three genin and a higher-ranked leader, but I'd like to avoid that since they could use the hostages against us. Here's the plan," Guy motioned for everyone to huddle on the ground in order to draw in the dirt.

Neji drew the camp from his memory, and Guy-sensei circled spots surrounding where he wanted everyone positioned.

" **Now this is what I'm talking about! Some action!"**

" _Shh!"_

"Neji, check on the captives again, make sure they are in whatever areas you think they'll be in tonight," Guy ordered.

Neji did so, and then he looked panicked. "Sensei, they have killed one of the captives!"

Everyone jumped at that. While everyone was focused on listening to Neji's explanation on what was happening, it sounded like they were getting ready to kill another civilian, no one heard the whistling projectile as it flew through the air.

Just as Neji realized there was only seven enemy shinobi at their camp, the small ball hit Guy's chest. The effect was immediate, and the puff of smoke enveloped the area before anyone could react.

Naruto managed to get underground after only a single breath of the stuff, and Kurama was able to nullify its effects.

" **Oh, this is going to get fun!"**

"You may as well come out of the ground, little genin!" Naruto heard a giggling female voice call out. "I'm a sensor shinobi, and a stealth and poison specialist! All of your friends will be sleeping for the next hour, or until I kill them."

Naruto rose from the ground, and the sight he was greeted with did not look too inviting. Standing on the far side of the clearing, on the opposite side of his sleeping team, was a jonin. From Iwa.

"Oooh, scary mask! Hey, since you're all Konoha nin, would you happen to know of a blond orphan? He may or may not be carrying the name Namikaze, but I'm not too picky. That poor family over with my friends won't talk, but they must at least know rumors! We killed a couple to make em talk, but oh well!"

" _She talks too much."_ Naruto thought after her first sentence.

" **Want my help? This** _ **is**_ **a jonin here. You could probably take her alone since she's not a fighting specialist, but she's still a jonin for a reason. You would eat up a lot of time and energy. Is your seal off?"** Kurama finished before she commented on being picky.

" _It was off once I learned we'd be fighting, so I'm loose. I have a plan, just be ready to give me a tails-worth on my signal. It should be enough."_ Naruto told Kurama shortly, beating the jonin to her line about rumors.

" **Psh. This is why you don't talk in a fight."**

Naruto clenched a fist as the lady stopped talking, and shot the entirety of his KI at her. She took a step back from the magnitude of it. "Oh, impressive for a genin!"

Naruto paid her no mind and summoned a clone directly behind her, and it stabbed at her neck with a kunai as soon as it could. Its black-veiled face made it look like the shinigami himself had come for the woman.

"And shadow clones from a distance, my my, I'll have to kill you!" she blocked the initial strike without even turning around, showing the gap in skill between her and Naruto. Then, she turned around to finish off the clone.

" _Now, Kurama!"_

Suddenly, Naruto was enveloped in a dark, angry red cloak of the Kyuubi's chakra. The tail and claws sprouted immediately, and Naruto dashed forward towards the Iwa jonin's turned back at speeds that rivaled a shunshin. The jonin had no chance to spin back around as Naruto drove both sets of claws into her back and out her chest.

Naruto dropped the cloak and the woman at the same time. Her cocky attitude killing her just as much as the attack to her spine did.

" **Beautifully done, Naruto. You had better hurry to the civilians, no telling how long they have now. And remember, you only need one alive!"**

Naruto moved much more freely with the seal off, reaching the camp in well under a minute. Naruto saw the Iwa nin shuffling about, the six genin in strategic positions as the remaining jonin stood guard over the civilians. There were only four of them now. The mother and the oldest son had been killed.

" _Do you think you could help me with making all the clones I'd need for the attack?"_ Naruto asked his companion.

" **No, I can't mold chakra for you. You'll have to make do with not attacking the one you want alive."**

" _Okay, we'll modify the last plan then. I can manage to distance shadow clone four targets. I'll hit the jonin from the back like last time, and then I'll need a two tail-cloak to get there in time. He looks like more of a fighter... probably has better reflexes. I'll take out the next nearest three with clones, they won't stand a chance against the technique. That leaves what, three? Two clones can use a Gale Palm and Kunai combo while the increased KI from the two-tail cloak has the genin stunned, and that should leave my last one."_

" **Good plan, kit. It's quick and brutal. I like it."**

" _I've got this. They don't stand a chance. I've got this."_

Naruto stepped out onto a large rock outcropping, breaking his usual rule of stealth. The jonin saw him first and called the genin to attention. Naruto didn't waste any time at all listening to their attempts at planning and even intimidation. The younger genin were already practically wetting themselves at fighting a 'faceless monster', and Naruto hadn't even leaked his KI yet.

In a massive burst, Naruto unleashed his chakra around him. The rock beneath his feet cracked with the force his chakra exuded. The air was suddenly filled with a powerful feeling. It wasn't the usual feeling of fear or dread that came with Killing Intent. It felt like what it was. Powerful. Confident.

Within a few seconds, everyone was under the influence of naruto's newly discovered Presence. The poor civilians nearly passed out due to the feeling, and many of the genin were brought to their knees. The jonin likewise struggled to stand for a split second.

Naruto created the clones. Three genin fell immediately, kunai shoved into the sides of their necks. The jonin spun to block the incoming blow and did so with relative ease, but Naruto's speed in the two-tailed cloak put a quick if a brutal end to the larger man. Two more genin fell at the mercy of kunai enhanced by a Gale Palm, their forehead protectors failing to stop the speeding weapons.

All of the clones dispelled at once, leaving the area with three innocent looking puffs of smoke. The remaining genin tried to run, but now Naruto could focus all of his presence on the poor boy. He was no older than Naruto, but he was now being crushed under Naruto's powerful presence.

Naruto appeared next to the downed genin in a swirl of leaves, holding a kunai at his throat. "Why are you here. Do not lie, and I will let you return to your home."

The Iwa genin was crying at this point. "We were sent to find rumors about the Yellow Flash's secret child! That's all, I swear!"

"I should kill you as well. For what you've done to this innocent family. You are lucky that my orders are to leave one of you alive."

Naruto knew he was stretching the truth a little, but he wanted word to get back to Iwa. He wanted them to know what happens when you mess with Konoha and its people.

"Thank you! Thank you thank you thank you!" Naruto cut off his Presence and watched the sad excuse of a shinobi run for his life.

Naruto summoned seven clones. Six to each carry a body back to his team's location and a seventh to ensure that the genin didn't double back. It was more of a formality at this point.

* * *

"You're telling me… you eliminated seven of the eight enemy shinobi, rescued all the remaining civilians, and managed to interrogate the surviving Iwa nin?" Neji asked incredulously.

Naruto simply nodded, moving the bodies into position to be placed into stasis scrolls. They would take the corpses to Konoha to be sent to Iwa as a warning. Or something. Naruto didn't really care.

"Naruto, that is simply incredible! You may be the most youthful young genin I've ever met!" Guy yelled in jubilation as he dug out all the scrolls needed for the transport.

"I am only remorse in the fact that I was not able to take part in your youthful battle, Naruto!" Lee added on as he nursed a sore head. The gas seemed to affect him especially hard.

Tenten had remained quiet, even while Naruto and Guy-sensei worked on sealing away the bodies.

"Naruto, how do you feel? Killing is hard, especially the first…" her tone was gentle and caring, although Naruto brushed her off.

"Huh? Oh that, I've been killing on orders for years now. Nothing to get excited about. I did follow orders though. I left one alive, and he's probably halfway back to Iwa as fast as he ran away," Naruto gave his attempt at an in-the-moment-joke.

Tenten wasn't laughing.

"You let him escape? Why?" Neji demanded. He was also still sitting down, trying his best to shake off the drowsiness.

"I had orders to kill all but one ninja. I did so, and then I decided to let Iwa know what happens to teams that enter our land without permission."

"Naruto," Guy started, "you may have made the right choice in letting him live, although it may have been better to take him as a prisoner."

Naruto bowed his head. "I apologize for my lack of judgment, sensei. I will do better the next time the opportunity presents itself."

Everyone was a bit unnerved at Naruto's reaction. Guy knew it was the way he was trained, but it was still disturbing.

* * *

Team Guy spent two days with the family. Helping them cope with the loss of two family members, regaining a sense of security in their home, and making sure that there were no follow-up parties inbound from Iwa. They had finished their mission Early and had the time, so they decided to spend it with a family in need.

During that time, Naruto had recounted the events after the rest of the team had been incapacitated numerous times. His peers still couldn't quite believe him, but Naruto never changed any details, and the 'Presence' he showed them was definitely powerful enough. Naruto also told them of Kurama.

"He's the reason that it went so smoothly. If it wasn't for his help, I would have really struggled with the two jonin," Naruto explained.

" **And don't you forget it."**

"That does explain how you managed against such odds," Neji muttered to himself.

Naruto felt indignant at his own skills being brushed off that way, but Tenten came to the rescue.

"No, Naruto said he only needed the help to make things go quickly with the jonin. Everything else was all him."

"Naruto is surely worthy of becoming my eternal Rival!" Lee shouted, startling everyone present.

"Lee, I thought I was your rival?" Neji asked. He was sad so much as cautious about getting his hopes up.

"I shall have two rivals, and become twice as strong!" Lee boasted.

"Ahh, I was afraid of that," Neji sighed as Tenten laughed at him.

"So wait, you guys aren't freaked out by Kurama? The _Kyuubi_? Sealed inside me?" Naruto asked in disbelief. He had expected this to be more painful.

"Nah, if anyone can handle him it's you."

"I couldn't care less."

"I believe that your relationship with the Kyuubi Kurama is most youthful!"

Naruto smiled to himself in silent thanks as the group prepared to head home.

* * *

Team Guy walked into Konoha at a leisurely pace. They had traveled hard for the first half of the day, and then after lunch adopted a more pleasant speed. Naruto and Kurama both had had about all they could handle of the two spandex-clad ninja they were traveling with. Naruto just wanted to go see the Hokage, get his money slip, cash out, and go sleep in his own bed.

"Naruto, this was your first real mission, right? With an experienced team?" Guy asked with an odd smile.

"Yeah, and the new rating should be around a mid-A-Rank, right?" Naruto asked. Usually, after a mission, you go straight to the mission desk, but since this mission had been increased in paygrade they had to see the Hokage. Guy had already sent a message ahead via a falcon from the nearby correctional facility, so hopefully, the meeting would be short.

"Ahh, I see," Guy's smile was now as wide as ever, but it didn't hold it's usual cheery energy. Naruto found it odd.

Some small talk continued until they reached the Hokage's desk.

"Team Guy, reporting from a mission with advanced risks!" Guy announced. The Third just looked at him, still astounded by his energy after all these years.

"Is it true that you encountered two genin teams of Iwa ninja, each led by a jonin?" Hiruzen asked out of formality.

Guy nodded and set the seven stasis scrolls on the Hokage's desk. ANBU suddenly appeared, swiped the scrolls, and were gone.

"And _Naruto eliminated the threat_ if your report isn't mistaken? _Without assistance?_ " The Sandaime made no attempt to hide the skepticism in his voice.

"Yes, sir! Naruto completed the mission after we were all caught in a trap sprung by a stealth specialist jonin."

The Third smiled at Naruto and then nodded as he puffed a few rings from his pipe. "That is all. Take these papers and give them to the mission desk with your report, Guy. It's Naruto's first real mission If I'm not mistaken," and there was the same, shit-eating grin again! What's with that?

On the way down to the mission desk, Naruto noticed that everyone was smiling, and he didn't like it. Something was wrong here. When they got to the desk and the chunin took all the papers, he also smiled. Now Naruto was genuinely worried. And Kurama wasn't responding.

"Well, since our first timer here is the hero of the day, you get your check first! The total payout of the mission was five hundred thousand Ryo. Split into fifths, you each get a hundred thousand Ryo. Now, Naruto you are no longer protected by 'new ninja' cushion laws, so you will be taxed the same as the rest as your experienced team."

That was the reason for the smiles. Son of an actual bitch.

"Ten percent for the Hokage, elders, and council members. Ten percent towards your health insurance. Ten percent in tribute to the Daimyo. Ten percent towards the reconstruction and development of Konoha. You have no clan tithes to pay, so your total tax rate is forty percent!"

Naruto was actually going to cry. And the worst part was he could see his teammates trying not to laugh.

"Here you go, Naruto. Sixty thousand Ryo!" Not bad by any means, but he lost almost half of his paycheck! What the heck was that?

"I am going to assume you missed the class with the lectures on taxes in Konoha?" Neji asked smugly as he was given an even smaller check. Apparently, the Hyuuga clan also demanded a ten percent cut. Bullshit.

"Shut up, Neji."

Naruto stormed out to laughter both behind him and in his head.

* * *

Naruto left the bank with the same amount he did the last time he left. By only keeping ten thousand Ryo on him, Naruto had saved up over fifty thousand in the bank. On his way home, Naruto was stopped by an expectedly still reading Kakashi.

"I hear you've learned about taxes," Kakashi commented as he started to walk with the upset genin.

"I know you're smiling underneath that mask. I don't wanna talk about it."

"How'd the mission go?"

"Well enough," Naruto stated before he recounted the events to his 'uncle'. He still wasn't sure on what to call Kakashi.

"That's amazing, Naruto. That's a feat you can be proud of, and I think it will earn you a name. In fact, do me a favor and pull up your hood."

Naruto did so, and he activated the seal at the same time in hopes to surprise the older ninja.

"Mmm, I thought so. Iwa just let out their new Bingo Book. I get mine the day they come out, and yesterday both Iwa and Kumo were scheduled to release an updated version. I thought this person sounded like the report copy Guy sent me. Here, take a look."

_Faceless Nin_

_Moniker: Konoha's Shadow Reaper_

_Allegiance: Konoha_

_Threat Level: A_

_Description: Seen in a black cloak, his face is hidden in a black veil. Possible genjutsu._

_Confirmed Known Jutsu: Kage Bunshin, Fuuton: Reppusho, Shunshin_

_Bounty: 500,000 (Dead or Alive: Iwa)_

_Notes: Is proficient in the usage of 'Presence'. Is extremely fast, and can manifest red claws out of pure chakra. Approach with caution._

Naruto read with wide eyes. He was in shock, but so happy.

"Nice to make your acquaintance, Mr. Shadow Reaper."


	11. Chapter 11

Jiraiya felt the arms he had missed for so long wrap around his chest. He was back in the village for a report, and he had stopped by the apartment early in the morning to catch Naruto. The blond was understandably ecstatic at the sight of his godfather.

"You need to stop growing up when I'm not around!" Jiraiya laughed through the bone-crushing hug.

"You need to be around more! You promised to be here when I started summoning toads, and I've waited a whole month!" Naruto argued back.

"Well, how about we go do that then? And you can tell me how you came by the name 'Shadow Reaper' on our walk to the field."

The pair walked slowly, Naruto telling the story he had told so many times before. Naruto explained the seal used to hide his face, and Jiraiya showed extra interest in that area.

"I'm glad to hear you're continuing to study fuuinjutsu! Do you have any battle-ready yet?"

"I'm pretty confident in my chakra suppression seals, and my paralysis seal tags are getting better. I wouldn't try them on anyone stronger than a genin yet, though."

"Meh, you're getting there."

The two were halfway to the field that they chose to use.

"So. When do we talk about my dad?" Naruto asked hesitantly.

Jiraiya took an audible deep breath. "How about you practice summoning a few toads?"

"That's fair, yeah." 

* * *

"Okay, don't put any thought into the first one. I know you have the ability to summon the toad boss at this point, but you should naturally summon your 'familiar' toad when you don't try too hard. He or she will be the one closest to you, and will help you the most as you grow."

Naruto cleared his mind, drew his blood, and ran through the hand signs for the summoning jutsu.

There was a small poof, and a small, orange striped toad the size of a small dog was sitting in front of Naruto.

"Hiya, kid! It's about time you started summoning us! And I'm not too bad for your first attempt. Name's Gamakichi, nice to meet ya!"

Naruto smiled at the summon. "Hi, my name's Naruto Uzumaki. Or, Namikaze."

"You aren't just his first summon, little Gamakichi," Jiraiya spoke up from the side, "you're his familiar summons."

"Huh. Guess we'll be working together pretty often then, huh? And do you mean Namikaze as in my pop's old familiar summoner?" the small toad asked as he hopped toward Naruto.

"My dad was Minato, the Yondaime Hokage. So probably?" Naruto answered as he bent down.

"Wow! Wait until I get back and tell pops!"

"Why wait? I'll just bring him here!" Naruto yelled as he repeated the summoning process, but dumping a load of chakra into the technique.

"Naruto wait, he might not want—" Jiraiya tried to stop his student. It didn't work, of course.

Half of the field was taken up by the massive form of the toad boss. "Jiraiya! I told you not to summon me! What excuse could you have for this?" The massive toad yelled as he searched for the sannin.

"Uh, I didn't summon you, Gamabunta," Jiraiya was hiding behind a few trees.

"I did!" Naruto called from the top of the boss' head. He had somehow gone unnoticed.

"You expect me to believe a child had the audacity to summon me!" The toad's wrath was turned back to Jiraiya.

"Hey pop, check it out! My familiar Naruto is the son of your familiar! What a world huh?" Gamakichi called out from on _Naruto's_ head. He too had somehow gone unnoticed.

"Eh? Kichi? This is the son of the Yondaime eh?" the tone the boss summon used changed dramatically, and it almost seemed wistful.

"Shh! We don't talk about that aloud here!" Jiraiya yelled from the toad's feet.

"I talk about what I want! Come, Gamakichi! We have to discuss your new responsibilities. We shall speak again, young Naruto. Do not expect me to fight for you merely because of who your father was," and with that, both toads vanished in puffs of smoke, leaving Naruto safely on the ground.

"Well," Jiraiya said as he pat Naruto's shoulder, "that could have gone worse. Great job!"

"So, about my whole heritage thing now?" Naruto asked impatiently. Jiraiya sighed and then motioned for the two of them to head back to the apartment.

* * *

"Minato wasn't rich before he took the hat, Naruto. He was granted clan status purely because he was selected as Hokage. He bought a home and a bit of land on the outskirts of the honorary Uzumaki compound. All of that area is legally yours, and once you become a chunin you will be allowed to claim your name, and you will be granted a seat on the shinobi council."

Naruto tried to wrap his head around the fact that he _owned land_ , which was incredibly lucky and expensive in Konoha. "Why do I have to wait until I'm a chunin?" Naruto asked. "I thought the Hokage decided I was ready now?"

"I think so too. But think Naruto. You could make a name for yourself as you are now. Under the guise of being faceless. And then at the exams, you blow everyone away by showing your face, and claiming your rights by being Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze!" Jiraiya smiled at the prospect.

"Well. I do love surprising people…" Naruto smiled with the man he still couldn't help but see as his father.

Jiraiya leaned back in his favorite chair as Naruto fidgeted. "What else is on your mind, Naruto?"

"Um, don't laugh. Hinata is. And Ino I guess."

"Oh ho ho! Little Naruto is growing up!"

"Not like that!" Naruto defended quickly. The fact that Naruto refused to meet Jiraiya's eyes told the sannin that something was really bothering the boy. "Well, Ino's dad told me stuff about his clan supporting me. And he apologized for not letting Ino play with me when we were kids."

"Did you say that Inoichi promised you his _clan's backing?_ "

"Yeah? That's good, right?"

"Naruto. If you are ever in any trouble, legal or financial, the Yamanaka will support you. If you ever need a sponsor for international activities, they will support you. For him not to ask for anything in return is just… unheard of!" Jiraiya ranted.

"Oh, then maybe I can help him somehow after I'm a chunin with legal law stuff."

"Hmm. I'll have to ask the third to start getting you some lessons on the matter. You have no experience in dealing with that sort of thing."

"More training? That's fine. The other problem I have though…" Naruto trailed off.

"Don't tell me the Hyuuga have pledged themselves to you too!"

"Hinata talked about marrying me."

Jiraiya sat still. He did nothing, said nothing, but thought everything.

"She didn't really, _propose_ or anything, but she went on and on about wanting to try something and how hard her clan would make it. So I told her that I'd just be her friend so things aren't hard for her. I honestly had no idea what was going on or what to do, I didn't mess up did I?" Naruto asked nervously.

"Oh… Naruto. My poor, poor Naruto. That Hyuuga girl is in love with you. Maybe not the real kind yet, but you just dashed her feelings across a hundred sharp rocks."

"I DID WHAT?" Naruto yelled in fear. "But she's my best friend, I would never…"

"Look, Naruto. People are complicated. They do more than just train and sleep, and they enjoy doing other things. They enjoy other _people_ , and some more so than others."

"Yeah, that's why friends train and eat together right? And why kids play together?" Naruto asked.

"Well, you see, ah. Hm. To put it bluntly, Hinata wants to have a romantic, uh, _intimate_ relationship with you, but her clan laws would make it difficult. Not as difficult as you've made things, but difficult."

Jiraiya wiped a hand down his face. "You don't know how to enjoy things anymore. I admit that's mostly my fault. When was the last time you relaxed, Naruto?"

"I went to bed early a few days ago."

"That's what I mean! You see, normal people have hobbies, things that make them happy other than getting stronger. I like to write, among other things," those other things could wait a few years to be spoken of…" many people like to garden, or read, or soak in the hot springs."

Naruto sat in thought. "I remember being happy when we would stop at the springs at the beginning of our trip. I always thought it was because you always got caught peeping though."

Jiraiya suppressed his anger at the statement. "The point is, Naruto, that you've become an amazing shinobi already. You don't really have to worry about training yourself to death. Just keep in practice, stay in good shape, and grow. That's all that's really limiting you now, is how young you are. There are things that I can't teach you yet. So for now, focus on becoming more _human_."

"But I am human," Naruto argued.

"A more well-rounded human, Naruto. Something you've kept all these years has been your humor and love of pranks. Granted, you see them as trap training now, but you still find joy in it. Find other things that make you feel the same way... and other people. Friends aren't just those you train with, they are people who make you happier by just being with them."

"So I should see if I still like the hot springs, or gardening, or reading?"

"Or anything! Find what you like. That's what I want you to focus on. That, and learning about politics."

"Okay, I will cut back on my training, I'll only go for three or five hours a day."

"Three tops."

"Fine. And then I'll focus on being _more human_ and learning."

There was a knock at the door. Naruto answered it and stood face to face with a masked member of the ANBU.

"Naruto Uzumaki, there has been an urgent request for backup by genin team seven. The Hokage orders that you leave immediately for the Land of Waves. Team seven is currently escorting a civilian, so take the standard route to catch them. They will wait for you at the Port City that is closest to the Wave Country. Here are the details," the masked ninja dropped off the scroll and disappeared.

"Guess I got a mission," Naruto said happily. Maybe one that would be an actual C-Rank!

"Leave as soon as you're ready, but remember our deal when you get back, Jiraiya told the boy as he gave him one last hug. "I have to check in with the Hokage, so I'll see you later, kid."

Jiraiya left not long before Naruto did. 

* * *

Naruto was traveling without his seal on, the speed he was reaching easily doubling the normal traveling speed, and almost matching the pace that Guy-sensei set. Port was a little over four hundred miles away, so if Naruto could maintain his nearly forty miles an hour he could reach it in about ten hours. Naruto would have no problem doing so with his seal off, and chances are that Kakashi wouldn't even be all the way to the town yet.

" **It feels nice to travel again. Feel better with the seal off?"**

" _Ugh, so much better. On the other hand, the difference is starting to get pretty small. I might look into learning how to apply another one to myself."_

" **What of your promise to hold back in training?"**

" _That's why I want to. I can improve even when I'm not specifically training."_

" **Smart."**

* * *

Naruto had left Konoha around eight in the morning, and it was nearing six in the afternoon now. He hadn't stopped to eat, instead, he was taking bites of his ration bar between leaps in the trees. Naruto was approaching the port town where he expected Kakashi to be waiting for him. The sun was starting to dip low over the trees, and Naruto saw a few flickering lights blinking on in the windows on the outskirts of town. As Naruto approached the town border, he noticed a small dog lying near the side of the road, one he recognized almost instantly.

"Pakkun! It's been a while!" Naruto called as he skidded to a stop.

"Little Naruto? No, you weren't half as big the last time I saw you," the small summon told the boy in a low, raspy voice.

"Time does that to a guy," Naruto mumbled as he rubbed the top of Pakkun's head.

" **I do vaguely remember this dog. He was prevalent during your early childhood yes?"**

" _Yeah, he's one of my uncle's summoning pack. They're partly why I like dogs so much."_

"Are you here to take me to Kakashi?"

The small dog nodded, gave Naruto an address to an Inn near the waterfront, and then sped off to inform Kakashi of Naruto's arrival.

Naruto watched Pakkun bound off into the port town. Taking a deep breath of the salty air, the young ninja started an easy pace into the throng of buildings. There was no rush now, there wouldn't be a boat leaving until morning, and he was sure that Kakashi was specifically waiting for him.

Before too long, the tall building Naruto guessed was the Inn came into view. There was a fair bit of noise coming from the ground floor, likely because the Inn doubled as a bar. Naruto stepped inside and took immediate note of all the larger men in the room, not because they were any real threat, but because they were all making fools of themselves swooning over a barmaid. Most of the men were well on their way to being drunk, and Naruto saw nothing suspicious as he approached the Innkeeper/bartender.

"I'm here for another team of Konoha ninja. A Jonin and three genin," Naruto said plainly.

The man glanced at Naruto's visible headband before replying, "Up the stairs, third door to your right. They already ordered food, so if you lot want more lemme know," and he went right back to cleaning his collection of glasses and mugs.

Naruto entered the room casually. The room was simple enough. Two small beds, a lit lantern hanging between them, a table with four wooden chairs surrounding it, and a lone dresser. Around the table sat the genin of Team 7 and an older man Naruto didn't recognize. Standing off to the side was Kakashi, who had his lone eye trained on Naruto.

"Ah, Naruto! You're a bit earlier than I expected," Kakashi announced the blond's arrival.

The table's occupant's stopped chatting and turned to Naruto, their faces a mixture of surprise, delight, and disgust. Sasuke not included, of course.

"You delayed us two days for backup, and they sent another kid?" the old man, presumably the client, complained. His face harbored the disgust and disappointment.

"Naruto! You're the backup? This is awesome!" Kaito was the most excited to see Naruto.

"I wouldn't underestimate Naruto, sir," Sakura defended Naruto once the shock left her. Naruto was happy she was showing a bit more compassion to someone other than Sasuke. Naruto remained silent in his slight minute anger to see how the team interacted now.

"I know you kids took down those two ninja earlier, but come on! If there's more I want more than shrimp like you all watching my back!"

This comment made Naruto's blood boil, and he prepared to leak a bit of his presence into the air.

"Naruto could kill everyone in this room except for Kakashi-sensei before we knew what was going on," Sasuke scoffed at the geezer, but he didn't unfold his arms or drop his trademark 'Uchiha Scowl'.

Naruto leaked a bit of the presence he had prepared to silence the room. The old man started to sweat, and Naruto figured he realized his mistake.

"You are Tazuna, the bridge builder, yes? The mission request I was given a copy of says you requested a team for a very low-level C-Rank mission. You just said there was two enemy Ninja and you expect more. That makes you a liar and makes Kakashi VERY generous for continuing on with you.," Naruto narrowed his eyes at the balking man.

Kakashi could tell Naruto was upset with the man and tried to alleviate the tension in the room, "Why, thank you, Naruto! Although, given the circumstances, I couldn't turn him away."

Naruto acknowledged his uncle with a glance but continued his tirade. "I'm sure you're aware of all that, though. Now, I want you to also be aware of the fact that I am not amused by your dishonesty. I admire Kakashi's decision to continue to help, but know that I am not like the other genin here. I will not tolerate disrespect from a lying man who doesn't deserve our respect as it is."

The pale-faced man merely nodded, and the other genin of Team 7 looked at Naruto with even more respect. Kakashi sighed and pulled Naruto to the side to speak in low tones.

"A-ah, it seems your friend is right, kids," Tazuna started. "I have been harsh on you kids, and I'm sorry."

Kaito waved his hand in front of his face, "No, no! We totally understand why you had to lie to the Hokage, forge a false mission request, and put all of our lives into unnecessary danger!" As accusatory and passive-aggressive as the statement sounded, Kaito had a look of total honesty and innocence on his face.

Sakura smacked the back of his head, albeit not anywhere as forcefully as she used to. "Idiot! Mr. Tazuna, he didn't mean any offense, he's just dense is all," she apologized for Kaito's behavior even as Sasuke tried his best not to break character with a chuckle.

"I'm sorry too," Naruto said as he re-approached the group. "Kakashi explained to me your reasons, and for family, I can see why you would go to these measures."

Tazuna seemed surprised at the sudden turnaround, as did the genin around him. "Uh, thanks? Listen, I really believe these three about you, so I'm still sorry for doubting you before."

The mood of the room improved drastically then, and everyone felt the weight leave their shoulders. Kakashi spoke up. "I guess you wouldn't know, but Naruto actually has a bounty on him that lists him as an A-Rank threat," his cheery statement sent the genin of Team 7 into a frenzy and Naruto laughed as he ran around the room avoiding the clutches of Kaito and ignoring Sakura's questions. 

* * *

The large group had just gotten off the boat and started walking along the coast of the Land of Waves half an hour ago. The general conversation was of Kaito recounting the encounter with two missing-nin earlier in the journey as Sakura annoyed both Sasuke and Tazuna.

Naruto only paid Kaito half of his attention, the other half on the lookout for possible threats. In truth, the story would have been quite interesting, Naruto was just in his 'mission mode' and wasn't feeling chatty. There was a sudden, loud rustle of branches under a bush, and Kaito immediately flung a trio of shuriken at the noise.

" **What's this? Something mildly interesting?"**

There was a loud, shrill scream, and a white rabbit came rushing from the bushes. There was a small line of red across the rabbit's back, and Kaito blanched at what he had done.

" **Nope. not at all. Just a white rabbit."**

Naruto ignored his inner voice of annoyance.

"KAITO!" Sakura yelled in anger as she approached the injured rabbit. It seemed dazed from its brush with death and sat almost in a trance. "How could you do such a thing to a poor little bunny?"

Naruto's eyes widened when he saw Sakura's palm glow a soothing green. Turns out she took his advice seriously and picked up a few support skills.

Soon the rabbit was healed and rested in Sakura's arms.

" **I guess I wasn't very clear, let me try again. 'Nope. Not at all. Just a SUSPICIOUSLY white rabbit in the middle of the year in a landscape that has no business having white rabbits or anything gosh.'"**

Oh. OH. Naruto released his seal and dashed forward as fast as he could and tackled Sakura to the ground near Sasuke just as Kakashi commanded everyone to hit the dirt, and he heard the swishing of air just above his head. Sakura screamed in surprise, and Naruto only hoped everyone got down in time.

" _Thanks for the delayed and nearly ineffective warning, asshole."_

" **You're welcome."**

Naruto stood and saw that Kaito had tackled Tazuna much in the same manner, and Sakura was suspiciously trying to wriggle her way… underneath Sasuke?

"Impressive, you managed to keep everyone alive. I'd suspect no less from Kakashi of the Sharingan," a menacing voice drawled.

Naruto looked to where he heard the voice come from, and he saw a deadly looking ninja standing atop a massive sword which was stuck in a tree. The ninja had the look of a tested murderer; he had tape covering the majority of his limbs and his face to compliment the bloodthirsty tone of his voice.

"Zabuza Momochi, yes? To what do we owe the pleasure?" the team jonin asked casually. For all the aloofness in Kakashi's tone, his body was tensing and preparing for a fight for the lives of his students.

"Oh, you know who I am? I'm flattered, but I'm here for the bridge builder. Would you be so kind as to… leave him in my care?"

" **Hey Naruto, Kakashi seems to think this guy's the real deal, and Kakashi can still whoop on you if I'm not helping. Will I get to have some fun today?"**

" _Kurama, that's the Demon of the Bloody Mist. He's a famous missing-nin and considered Kakashi's equal in a whole ass-ton of ways. Two tails would be enough for Kakashi, so two for him is all I'm thinking."_

"Naruto," Kakashi muttered softly enough for only Naruto to hear, "Keep your friends out of this. _All_ of them. We don't need the bridge builder knowing anything. Also, keep the hood off."

" _Okay, I might be screwed."_

" **Good luck buddy, I'll be laughing in here."**

"Kakashi-sensei, you can beat him right?" Sakura's voice was thin with fear.

"Don't worry, I'll keep you safe enough," Kakashi told her as he moved to pull up his forehead protector eyepatch.

"Oh! I see you getting serious from the start!" Zabuza cried out. An eerie mist started to roll in from the trees. "That takes all the fun out of it, but if you're pulling the big guns I have no choice."

Kakashi revealed the eye Naruto grew up thinking was missing. But there was indeed an eye there. A blazing, furious Sharingan eye to be exact.

"No! How the hell do you have one of my family's dojutsu!? Sensei!" Sasuke was visibly pissed, which was rare. To be fair he had a small right.

"I'll tell you the story after we get out of here. I want a triangle formation around Tazuna, Naruto, you stand up front as a buffer. No one gets involved with this. Am I understood?"

Naruto was livid at the prospect that Kakashi wouldn't allow him to fight. Nonetheless, he voiced his affirmation and ran to the position with the rest of the team.

Zabuza was no longer anywhere to be found. "You can't save them all, Copy-Ninja. Anything inside of this mist is in my striking range… and there's nothing you can do to stop me…"

Naruto felt more than heard the rush of air go past him, and he felt a mocking graze along his cheek as it sped on its way. Naruto jerked his head to the side just as another rush of movement sped past him. Naruto spun to see the two elite jonin ninja locked in a battle of strength. Zabuza's massive blade was only a foot away from separating Kaito from his head, but Kakashi had a pair of Kunai blocking its path.

"Oh, you're faster than I imagined," Zabuza whispered loudly from behind Kakashi. The first Demon of the Mist dissolved into water as the one behind Kakashi swung at the jonin's neck.

Kakashi also liquified upon contact, appearing behind Zabuza in a cruel twist of irony. Unfortunately, that Zabuza also wasn't real.

"Copy Ninja indeed! That was an impressive water clone, but you're still outmatched."

Kakashi said nothing as Naruto walked to the group to watch their backs. Naruto still wanted to be allowed to fight, but orders were orders.

" **You might want to get rid of this mist you know. Home field advantage and all that."**

"Kakashi, permission for a pair of supplementary jutsu?" Naruto asked almost mechanically.

"Granted."

Naruto created four shadow clones of himself and had them surround the rest of the group. Naruto saw Kaito's jaw drop slightly. Naruto took in a deep breath of air, and prepared for a massive round of Great Breakthroughs.

Zabuza must have known what the blond was planning because just as Naruto released his chakra enhanced breath, the gleam of the massive blade was seen in front of him.

The blow never landed, and trees and debris were sent flying in all directions. Zabuza himself was sent flipping through the air until he slammed the end of his sword into the dirt. A deep gouging rift was left as the enemy ninja was driven backward by the wind.

Naruto dispelled his clones. "Finished. I will back down again."

Kakashi coiled his legs as Naruto dispelled his clones. One of the memories Naruto got back was of his three teammates incredulous, wide-eyed stares.

"That was pretty good, kid. Not a whole lot can move me around when I've dug in the Executioner's Blade. Waste of chakra though," Zabuza stood tall as he spoke. Only a few minor cuts from flying debris visible on his person.

"This is between us, Momochi," Kakashi scowled as he shot forward.

Naruto could hardly follow his uncle's speed. It was almost as if before Kakashi had some kind of block on that limited his speed, and Naruto was just now seeing it in its entirety. Or a seal. That could be it.

The loud metallic clang of Kunai meeting Kubikiribocho (at least that's what Naruto had read about the blade) was followed by the loud metallic snap of a kunai. Kakashi didn't falter, weaving around the next swing and throwing a kick from what seemed an impossible angle into his opponent's back as he drew a new weapon.

Zabuza was no slouch either. He used every part of the blade to attack in addition to his legs and occasional free hand. Naruto knew neither of them were clones since they both took the occasional glancing blow from each other. Both were sporting cuts, but everything was too fast for Naruto to see where they came from.

" **Looks like Kakashi's been holding out on us… he has one of those damned eyes and is a hell of a lot stronger than we gave him credit for."**

" _He's almost as fast as Ero-Sensei with a single level gravity seal on. I had no idea…"_

Suddenly, Kakashi managed to bury a kunai to the handle into Zabuza's shoulder. Unfortunately, it was his right shoulder, so there was no chance of severing something as important as the tubes above the heart. Or maybe there was. Naruto didn't care much for the anatomy lessons.

Zabuza didn't skip a beat, just as the smaller blade pierced his flesh, a knee rose and slammed into Kakashi's ribs with a tremendous impact. It sent Kakashi into the air, and the follow-up kick sent him tumbling end over end into the water behind him.

"Should have figured you'd find a way to get me. Doesn't matter," a trio of clones rose from the ground in the form of waterspouts as Zabuza freed the weapon from his shoulder, free to move it again.. "I'll distract Kakashi and let my clones take care of the brats."

Naruto saw Kakashi stand on the water and give him a nod. Clearance to defend the team.

" **Pity I can't help. I've been bored lately."**

" _Hush, I'm working."_

Naruto took the lead in the situation. The Zabuza clones walked slowly toward the group, trying their best to intimidate them all. "Sasuke, Kaito, you two get the third clone, I'll occupy the other two until you can come help," although Naruto planned to simply dispel them himself. "Sakura, do you know any genjutsu yet?"

"Only one, and it probably won't help the situation since it's not strong enough to work on jonin…"

Naruto cursed in his head. "Take Tazuna to one of the tres that were blown over and cover him. Be ready to start healing wounds as soon as the fighting is done."

Not even bothering to wait for a response, Naruto released all the Presence that he could. It was significantly less without Kurama lending him Chakra, but more than enough to be taken notice of. The three clones tilted their heads in near amusement, but they didn't halt their slow march.

Naruto used a quick, sealless shunshin to the treeline and popped in a few clones. Two clones took his spot near Sasuke and Kaito, and the third fired off a close ranged Air Bullet into the far left water Zabuza's back.

Both of the remaining Zabuza's reacted immediately, a blade swiping through the clone at both Naruto's knees and neck. The pair were wary now, and Naruto knew he wouldn't be able to catch them off guard again.

One clone looked directly at the real Naruto's hiding spot, and Naruto knew that it followed his Shunshin. The two clones split quickly, one rushing at the two shadow clones and Sasuke and Kaito while the other sprinted at the real Naruto.

Naruto jumped out from his hiding spot and threw a pair of kunai before quickly multiplying them. He wasn't putting everything he had into it though, and only eight kunai approached the speeding Zabuza. The water clone grinned and deflected them all with his sword, taking out Naruto's two occupied clones

" **Well shit, he got you there. I'd duck."**

And Naruto did. He rolled under the wide swing and tried to slice at the clone's neck from behind with a fresh kunai. A maneuver he had practiced and perfected, but it was nonetheless blocked with little effort.

A flurry of taijutsu followed, and Naruto suffered only a handful of nicks from the sword that all healed before the next attack. Naruto couldn't land a single shot, and he was pulling all the tricks he knew from the Fox Fist style.

Naruto ducked again, this time under a kick, and had to deflect the rising swing of the blade from his crouched position. Everything this guy did seemed to have a backup plan, and it was starting to piss Naruto off.

A pair of clones popped into existence on either side of the Zabuza clone as the real Naruto disappeared underground, and the twin Rasengan they had shoved at him missed when he jumped and eventually collided. The opposing rotations held for a split second, but then a massive explosion of chakra drove the jumping clone even higher.

Naruto resurfaced in a bush, and he watched the clone fall back to the earth. Naruto then fired off a Swamp of the Underworld where the clone would land, and trapped its ankles in the mud. Naruto released a basic Killing Intent blast at the Zabuza, and a clone appeared behind him to deal the dispelling blow. Zabuza bent over backward to avoid and counterattack, but Naruto sent a Gale Palm enhanced kunai before his shadow clone was even hit. The Zabuza tried to stand only to meet a speeding kunai through his stomach, dispelling the water clone.

Naruto looked over at Kaito and Sasuke, and he saw that they were both covered in cuts and bruises. Kaito let loose a half dozen shuriken in a wide pattern, and Zabuza elected to jump high above them. Sasuke appeared underneath the clone and fired off a Grand Fireball, calling out his jutsu as he did so like an idiot. Zabuza had no issue spewing enough water to quench the jutsu, but Kaito threw Sasuke through the steam. Sasuke spun, cutting the clone deep enough to dispel it, but also suffered a deep gash to his left thigh.

Naruto rushed over, caught the grimacing Sasuke, and signaled for Sakura.

"Oh my gosh, Sasuke! That was so stupid and cool and you're hurt and just ugh!" there were tears in her eyes as she kneeled next to Sasuke.

"Just please shut up and heal me," Sasuke ground out through gritted teeth.

Naruto looked over a glum Kaito before his gaze drifted to a Kakashi getting trapped in a bubble. Some kind of water bubble too strong to pop. Naruto was about to rush to his aid but saw the distinct sparking in one of his uncle's hands. Naruto knew what he planned to do, and although Kakashi would get a bit of backlash from the jutsu it could very well end the fight.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke, I'm learning this jutsu and I don't know if I'm good enough," Sakura bit her lip in worry as her palms adopted a flickering green glow. It was crude, Naruto knew, but hopefully, it would be enough to staunch the worst of Sasuke's bleeding. Naruto knew there was a major artery somewhere in the thighs, but he didn't remember where.

"It's… fine," Sasuke grunted.

Naruto walked over and retrieved a pale and shaking Tazuna from under a fallen tree to watch the healing process. By the time he had gotten back, the corners of the deep gash had started to close, but Sakura now had blood on her hands and the pooling liquid had reached her knees. Her tears were flowing as well, and even Kaito looked worried.

"This is what you have wrought, Tazuna," Naruto muttered darkly. "By lying to our Hokage and Sensei, you have risked the lives of children. If anyone dies today or during this mission, know it's on your head for hiring inexperienced shinobi."

The man nodded and took a swig of whatever bottle he had, and walked back to his log to sit down.

"Kaito, that was a good throw," Sasuke said suddenly. It surprised everyone. "I barely had to change my position."

"Uh, yeah, you were really impressive too, man. That fireball was sick," Kaito's response was hesitant, unsure on how to handle Sasuke's new side.

"Kaito are you hurt too? I think I can heal Sasuke up, but I won't have a lot of energy left," Sakura asked. Sweat was dripping down her face as she worked. The wound was healing, and the blood flow had nearly stopped, but Sakura was obviously tiring quickly.

"No, I should be fine. Thanks, though, Sakura."

Naruto tuned them out and refocused on Kakashi. He was breathing heavily, and he seemed to be scorched from something. Since Zabuza has been using water based jutsu, it was probably his Chidori. Naruto watched the two jonin, with Kakashi mimicking every move of Zabuza. Soon, Kakashi's movements caught up, and it was like watching a man and a mirror. Eventually, the two started an impossibly long chain of hand seals, and Naruto's eyes widened. A pair of massive water dragons rose from behind the fighting ninja, and slammed into each other canceling the attacks. Naruto saw the pair of jonin get swept up in the massive waves that followed, and the volume of water swept at the group.

" **The old one's earth wall would be handy right about now huh?"**

" _I'll have to make do with Great Breakthrough. Ugh."_

Naruto flared his presence and sent a pair of clones to Tazuna's side. Client responsibilities and all that. Sakura screamed in fear, losing concentration on Sasuke's wound. Kaito moved to shield his teammates with his back. Naruto turned, faced the wall of approaching watery death, and took in a breath of air.

" **This would be easier if you let me help you know."**

" _Orders."_

And Naruto let the massive jutsu leave his lungs. The wall of wind met the water no more than fifteen yards away and curved up and over his team like a dome. Zabuza slammed into the wall, and he was crushed between his self-made pounding waves and Naruto's wind. The water fell over the edge of his wind, and eventually stopped as Naruto was nearing the end of his breath for the jutsu.

Clones popped, and Naruto knew Tazuna was safe.

"Good job, team. I see Tazuna is safe. Sakura, that's enough on Sasuke's leg, bandage it up. We'll attend to the rest of our injuries when we get to Tazuna's," Kakashi ordered as he appeared between the group and Zabuza. "Naruto, great use of your jutsu to keep your team safe."

Naruto saw past the facade. Kakashi was exhausted. He didn't throw in any little jokes or comments, and his posture was visibly forced upright. Zabuza coughed and sat up on his knees. His left arm was broken below the elbow, and his right shoulder bled freely.

"Well? Don't tell me you don't have the balls to finish me off, Kakashi."

And then came the senbon. Three of them found their way into Zabuza's neck, and the murderous taped man finally dropped. Limp. And a masked Kiri ninja appeared in front of him, checking for a pulse.

"I didn't miss. He's dead," the voice was muffled and obviously distorted by the mask. "I must thank you. I have been tracking him for almost a year now. I apologize for my late assistance, but I will take him off your hands now."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. Hunter-nin?

" **I don't trust that person."**

" _That makes two of us."_

Kakashi was likely too tired to care at this point and merely checked the pulse himself. "Fine, but you had better send half of his bounty to Konoha. We defeated the man. You simply killed him."

The hunter-nin seemed to stiffen at the words, but the prospect of losing half a paycheck would do that. "Understood."

"Wait," Naruto called out as he stood. "I am actually studying up to be a hunter-nin too, you know," Naruto's casual tone was mentally accompanied by Kurama's chuckle.

" **You had a clone read one book."**

" _Same difference."_

"So go ahead, destroy the body. I know that's protocol. I wanna see a pro at work, kinda like job shadowing you know?"

Kakashi realized what Naruto was getting at and stood a little taller. The hunter-nin replied smoothly, "Normally, yes that is the process. However, I need proof of a high profile kill like this. You'll understand when you start your training."

The reply was too smooth. Too confident. Practiced. But neither Naruto or Kakashi were willing to start a war by attacking. "Then take his sword back. I know Mist would love to have one of the Seven Swords back. That's all you would need," Kakashi continued.

"Yes, that is a good idea. I believe I will—" And the two were gone.

"Kakashi, say the word and they both die. You know I can do it if you allow me to have help," Naruto muttered.

"No. I need you with the team. I am finished for now. You're in charge and the first line of defense. Get us to Tazuna's," and with that, Kakashi passed out. 


	12. Chapter 12

" **Man. Kakashi had his ass WHOOPED."**

" _Kurama be nice, that fight was intense. I would have needed a solid four tails to keep up."_

Naruto was getting Kakashi settled on the comfortable sofa that was in Tazuna's living room. The walk after Zabuza's fight was a stressful one, and Naruto was glad to be able to relax for a while. He had carried Kakashi with the help of a clone, and Sakura had taken turns with Kaito to help Sasuke along. The bandage on his leg was just now starting to bleed through, so Naruto knew Sakura did a good enough job of healing it in the field.

" **The point is he wouldn't be in this mess if he didn't order you to keep me a secret!"**

" _You're just salty because you didn't get to fight. Why do you even find it more fun when I use your chakra? You already have links to my senses!"_

" **Normally it's like I'm seeing everything secondhand. Kind of like you with clone memories, but they happen immediately for me. But when you use MY chakra, it's like a lucid dream. As if I'm really there."**

" _That's not creepy at all. Nope."_

Kakashi coughed as Naruto finished covering him in blankets. "Naruto…"

Naruto sat down next to his uncle. "I'm here, what do you need?"

"You have temporary command. Have Sakura try and finish healing Sasuke's leg when you get the chance. Find out how long Tazuna needs a protection detail," Kakashi stopped to simply breathe. Chakra exhaustion is a hell of a thing. "Zabuza will be back. Probably three weeks with an average medic nin on hand. Two with a good one. I want reports nightly. As soon as the rest are healed up enough, I would like you to train them a bit for me."

Naruto smiled, suppressing a dark chuckle before saying, "Did you let him do this so I'd have to do your job again?"

Kakashi's head simply dropped to the pillow with a groan. "Dismissed."

Naruto walked back into the kitchen where everyone was sitting around a table. Tazuna noticed Naruto walk in and gestured to a bustling woman behind him. "Naruto! This here is my daughter Tsunami!"

Naruto smiled at the woman as he slumped into a seat across from Sakura and next to Kaito. None of the genin were very talkative, but Sasuke kept tugging at his bandage. Probably trying to cope with the pain.

"Thank you, thank you all for being here! This bridge is going to save our village, and you kids brought my father home safely. I really can't thank you enough," Tsunami said as she set bowls of some type of soup in front of everyone.

"It's fine," Naruto replied. Keeping in mind the fact that he was in charge now, he asked, "Would you all happen to have a guest bedroom?"

"Why yes, we have one right across from dad's. I already have it set up for the three of you!"

"Sakura, you'll have that room to sleep in yourself. We'll store our equipment in the room, but Kaito, Sasuke, and I will sleep in a separate room. Don't worry about things being cramped," Naruto interrupted the look Kaito was shooting him. "There will always be one of us awake on patrol anyway. There's room enough on the living room floor. Plus we can keep an eye on Kakashi."

Everyone took in Naruto's makeshift orders in silence. Sasuke eventually spoke up, "I take it Kakashi gave you command?"

"Yup. Issues? Anyone?"

"NO! Kami, no. Makes the most sense if you ask me," Kaito's loud voice cut through the air, and everyone laughed lightly. The mood in the room picked back up as the dinner was finished being served.

"Should I finish healing Sasuke?" Sakura asked after a small spoonful of the fishy broth.

"Yes," Naruto reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a small, half-spherical pill. "Take half a soldier pill with your food. Give it twenty minutes before you try it, that should be enough time to finish our meal."

"If you ninja have these pills that give you energy, why don't you just pop em like candy?" Tazuna asked.

"And why am I only taking half a pill?" Sakura followed up after she downed the medicine.

Naruto took another bite of food. "Relying on outside sources for chakra too often will make your body dependant on them. Eventually, your ability to refill your reserves on your own will diminish, and you will likely never increase your reserves afterward." Naruto paused in thought before adding, "Which reminds me of something I want to tell you before training tomorrow morning. We'll start late. Ten in the morning will work."

" **Are you talking about me, you little scamp?"** Kurama asked playfully, knowing the answer.

" _Don't expect an answer to that, ass hat."_

" **Language."**

The rest of the meal was eaten in relative comfort, minus Sasuke's leg. He was taking it like a trooper though.

"Naruto, my son can sleep with me during your stay and you boys can share his room. There's only the one mattress though."

"Where is little Inari anyways?" Tazuna mumbled.

"I carry a sealed mattress with me on missions in case of a rescued hostage scenario. We'll be fine, thank you," Naruto told the woman graciously.

There were faint footsteps approaching the kitchen. "You're the people who saved my grandpa?" a small voice came from the hallway.

"Yeah, we're here to help you guys save the town!" Kaito responded with a large smile.

"Oh! Inari! Come and eat dinner!" Inari's mother urged.

"You're all gonna die."

You could've heard a mouse drop its pellets in the next room.

"Inari, don't be rude to our guests!" Tsunami scolded frantically.

"No, let him speak," Naruto spoke up, his gaze never leaving his empty bowl.

Tsunami was wary but sat back down. Tazuna knew what the blond brat could do with a few well-placed words and shook his head.

"My father was the only one who died rebelling against Gato! And nothing changed! He died, and it didn't even matter!" tears were obviously welling in the child's eyes. "And you aren't even that much older than me! You're just stupid, weak kids that Gato will kill like the rest of this stupid town!"

The genin of Team 7 tensed. They knew Naruto had a temper when it came to these things.

When Naruto slowly stood from his chair, the room went silent, and Team 7 tensed even further. Could they stop a rampaging Naruto from murdering a traumatized child? Well, no, but they would have to make it look like they tried to save face.

Naruto approached Inari, one calm step at a time. The small child never backed down, never blinked regardless of the tears in his eyes. And then, Naruto stood in front of him. Still.

And he dropped to his knees and hugged Inari around the shoulders. Inari's eyes changed. The tears fell, and the hatred turned to disbelief, but he didn't hug back. He would never do that.

In the stunned silence of the room, Naruto's voice could clearly be heard. "Inari, I am so sorry about your father. Losing a parent is a horrible thing to have to live through, and I'm sorry that you have to know that pain."

Naruto released Inari, and the kid backed up a quick step. "What do you know? What do any of you know?! You're all ninjas from Konoha! The biggest, happiest village ever!"

Naruto smiled sadly and kept the same low tone. "Both of my parents are dead. They died fighting for my village too. Mr. Broody over there," Naruto jerked a thumb at a stunned Sasuke, "Doesn't have any real family left. Not even a grandpa. Kaito is in the same boat, he grew up in an orphanage."

Naruto couldn't help but think that this was the best team to get this mission. So relatable.

Inari wiped his nose. "What about her?" he pointed to Sakura, more curious than malicious.

"Sakura?" Naruto asked in mock surprise. "I thought that was obvious! Her hair's pink! Yes, it's beautiful but a bad color for a ninja ya know?"

Sakura blushed and lowered the bowl she held at the ready for attack. Inari wiped his nose again and giggled through the tears.

"You see Inari. Saving the day doesn't make you a hero. Protecting what you love at any cost makes you a hero. Laying down your life so that others can keep theirs makes you a hero. Your dad might not have been a savior, but never doubt that he was fighting for who he loved. He probably wanted to be your hero, so you could protect what he loves when he couldn't. His family. Keep yourself safe, and keep what you love safer okay?"

Inari nodded, wiped his tears, and ran down the hallway and up the stairs to his room. Naruto rose from his knees and made his back to his seat where he leaned back in content.

" **Good deed for the day?"**

" _You know it."_

Kaito broke both the silence of the room and Naruto's train of thought when he said, "Call me crazy, but that's the least angry, least crazy intense, and least intimidating I have ever seen you ever. I mean in all the complete history that I've known you."

Naruto looked confusedly at the other genin at the table, all of whom were wearing similar masks of awe and surprise.

"Why the hell didn't I get one of those?" Tazuna shouted as he threw his hands into the air.

"What can I say. I trained with literal sages for six years. You pick up a thing or two."

"Yeah, but this is the first time you've seemed more human than super strong super ninja!" Kaito's trademark loud voice erupted again. Sakura silenced him with a light bop to the head, but she was obviously also dazed.

"Psh. Whatever. Just, Sakura heal Sasuke up. I'll set up my extra mattress in Inari's room and take first watch. Three-hour shifts, I'll be in for Kaito at ten, which is when I want everyone to get to bed. Sakura you be next so Sasuke has a solid six uninterrupted hours of sleep to heal what you can't. Sasuke, you wake me up at seven, and I'll take over until you three meet me in the meadow out back for training. Bye."

Naruto left without another word, and everyone stared after him. "He is one odd kid," Tsunami spoke up.

"You don't know the half of it," Sakura mumbled, which earned a grunt from Sasuke in agreement. 

* * *

Sasuke had woken Naruto up right at seven. Naruto noticed that he indeed seemed to be moving along just fine, but he still planned to take it easy on the leg that day. Sakura wasn't a med nin by a long shot, but she saved Sasuke's ass with what little she did know.

Naruto had eaten a quick breakfast, planned out the morning's training session, and made his way to the field by seven thirty. He wanted plenty of time for himself before he had to train Team 7. Kakashi always did know how to be lazy enough to get out of everything.

Naruto started with half an hour of pure meditation. It was something Pa would have him do every morning, mostly to wake his body and mind up before the coming beat down. But now, Naruto used the time to think, totally alone. Kurama was completely cut off during meditation, and likely still sleeping anyways.

_I am strong and capable, and definitely ready for a leadership position. Things will be fine. Kaito already told me he thinks I'm a good teacher, but he's probably comparing me to uncle Kakashi. Funny how he's actually kind of an older brother really. My dad sorta took him in I guess. Nah, that'd be weird. He's still my uncle to me. That was so long ago… And he was already a Jonin! I mean, why hasn't he come up in the world? Not saying he's a small fry, but he's had so much time to hone his craft… Like Itachi. Gods, Sasuke has a long way to go. His stories are just so… crazy that... they have to be true! I can't imagine Kakashi being crazy strong like that, but they have the same eyes and have been Jonin for such a long time._

_Maybe it was that thing about Kakashi's team that held him back. Ero-sensei mentioned that Kakashi slumped after they died and regressed in skills and stuff for a long time. Yeah, that's gotta be it. Maybe I should talk to him about it, I did pretty damn good on that Inari kid! Ha! And Ma thought I'd be a bad public speaker. I have a golden tongue! No, I should never say that again that sounds stupid._

_Kakashi seems fine now. And really strong. I'll just focus on me like Ero-sensei wanted me to. And Politics. Kami, that's going to suck. Maybe If I get really good I can change that dumb taxes thing when I'm Hokage. Yeah, that's a good plan. I should probably start that political history book I brought along. I should have time this morning to make decent headway._

Naruto rose from his meditative position and reopened the links to Kurama. No responses or smart remarks, so he was still asleep.

Naruto spent another half hour reading about the Fall of Uzushiogakure, or the Land of Whirlpools, since it involved his name. And his mom. Naruto did not like what he read.

He didn't remember it word for word, of course, but the main message stuck with him.

Kumo felt threatened by the power behind Uzu's fuuinjutsu. Kumo convinced Iwa to participate in a surprise invasion. Uzu's calls for aid were all taken out by the surrounding armies, and Konoha arrived a day late. A day after a three-day battle. Naruto felt his blood spike for a second at the thought.

Naruto put his book away with half an hour to spare before his peers would arrive. He stood, stretched, and prepared himself for the coming training. He set his seal to its maximum gravity and adjusted his movements in just a few seconds.

And then Naruto saw her. A stunning girl in a pink, sleeveless kimono gathering flowers on the far edge of the field. Her hair was a deep black, and her face as pale and smooth as porcelain. Naruto approached her, confused at her presence.

"Hello miss, do you also live around here?" Naruto asked as he approached.

"Oh? I'm sorry, I didn't know this meadow belonged to anyone," she seemed genuinely surprised as she looked at Naruto's face.

"Actually, it doesn't. I'm just here to train a few of my friends. Who are you picking flowers for?" Naruto waved a hand at the basket she was carrying.

"These are herbs for my uncle. He fell while working on our roof and I'm going to make salves to help him," her smile was soft as she spoke, and her eyes seemed to gloss over as she thought of her hurt loved one.

Naruto perked up at this. "Your uncle? That's very kind of you. Family is very important. What about your parents…?"

Her smile died, and she looked away. "I agree that having loved ones is what makes life worth anything. I would do anything for my… uncle. But my parents… died. In the war of rebellion against Gato."

" **Woah! Red flag!"**

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. Gato is truly an evil man," Naruto rested a lone hand on her exposed shoulder, but the silence that followed wasn't mirrored in his head.

" _What do you mean red flag? This is just a girl who lost her parents to the same man Inari lost his father to!"_

" **Naruto, usually I'd be a complete advocate for you to try and bag a girl with daddy issues, but THERE WAS NO WAR OF REBELLION. Inari said his father was the only one who died fighting Gato."**

**.**

**.**

**.**

" _Red flag."_

Now Naruto started to notice other signs that something was wrong. The hand on her shoulder could feel strong, lithe muscles. Her breast binding could be seen in the droop of the cut off of her sleeve, and there were more layers to it than he had seen any other girl wear. (That was one Ero-sensei pounded unwillingly into his head)

"What's your name? If you don't mind me asking," Naruto spoke softly, doing his best to remain in character.

There was a pause, likely of debate. "My name is Haku. My family was never important enough to hold a last name."

"My name is Naruto."

"Are you and your ninja friends here to stop Gato, Naruto?" Haku asked just as innocently.

Naruto's eyes rose from her concealed breasts. Naruto hoped she thought he was just ogling her. "Hopefully, yeah. It's too bad Wave doesn't have any Ninja of its own to do the job sooner."

Haku blushed a minuscule amount, likely staged. "I wish I was a ninja so I could have saved my parents."

" **That's it, right there. Deception at its finest. She's a ninja all right. We didn't hear her walking around. Her body is very well conditioned. You 'saw' that for yourself heh—"**

" _Stay on topic."_

" **And she's trying very hard to find out your motives. Ninja. One that is very good at subterfuge."**

"I have to get going, my uncle will need his bandages changed soon," Haku said as she stepped away. Her first step had the ease of a well-practiced ninja; smooth and silent. Then she fell into a rougher, more civilian stride.

"I have to get going too. It was really nice meeting you, Haku."

"Oh and Naruto?" Naruto looked back over his shoulder at her. "I'm a boy."

"You mean a liar?" Naruto smirked at her shifting face. "I noticed how hard you're trying to hide your chest. I know, threats of rape happen quite often in times like this so that has to be why. I'll keep your secret safe."

" **Smooth."**

Suddenly, there was the light sound of running feet behind him, and Naruto knew that Team 7 had arrived. Naruto turned and saw Kaito smiling devilishly, Sasuke looking bored as usual, and a slightly upset Sakura.

"Naruto! We leave you alone for three hours and your fishing for locals? You sly dog!" Kaito started smiling even wider after he spoke.

Before Naruto could refute the claim, Sakura spoke as well, "Naruto! You're supposed to stay faithful to Hinata! What are you doing!"

" **Oof! Low blow that! Maybe you—"** Naruto cut the link.

"That was a ninja posing as a local, 'gathering herbs'. I was trying to get her identity to secure our safety." Well. Not at first but still. "Sakura how do you know of anything between Hinata and me?"

"I think you were trying to get her number for the safety of your—" Naruto's fist interrupted Kaito's laughing sentence and sent the boy flying into a tree, out cold.

"He'll be awake by the time we start, Sakura you'll heal his concussion. Now, what do you know?" Naruto looked directly at her, making her more than a little uncomfortable after seeing what he did to Kaito.

"It's all she talked about for the majority of the trip before you showed up. You and Hinata are meant for each other, blah blah blah, but you're in a rough patch and something about you two making the most adorable children. Can we get to training now?" good 'ol Sasuke.

Naruto rubbed his hand down his face. Sakura blushed scarlet at being found out. Kaito was starting to stir and moan in pain from his tree. "Heal Kaito, what I'm going to tell you all before we start has to be remembered."

* * *

The three genin of Team Seven sat in a stupor as Naruto stood shrouded in a two-tailed cloak. The seal was easily visible as he lifted his shirt and explained Kurama's existence. "You can tell no one of this, and you have to understand that Kurama was controlled that night and isn't responsible for his actions. And that he's also my closest friend."

" **Too mushy. Ease back a bit there bucko."**

"Okay, cool, yeah I got it. Train us now please," Sasuke was getting seriously impatient.

"That's it? Really Sasuke? Naruto just drops a bomb like that and that's what you have on your mind?" Kaito almost yelled.

"This is what you meant by not relying too heavily on outside chakra right?" Sakura asked, almost seeming ready to move on.

Naruto was ready for any response, and this was definitely a good one. Sasuke stood before speaking, "Sure. Naruto has a massive secondary chakra source and constant companion. Great. He also has an incredibly unfair advantage. Oh no. Downside, he has paid for it by receiving hatred from the village and obviously can't control it all yet. That one I'm actually sorry for, Naruto. That's gotta suck. But, he can still kick all of our asses, and that's without Kurama helping him. So I want to train and fix it."

" **I like him a lot more now."**

"Well okay then. Plan for today is a reassessment, endurance training, and reserve building. Sasuke you're up first. Tree fighting time and known jutsu please."

"Hang on can we go back to the awesome freaking BIJU inside Naruto?" Kaito asked frantically.

"No," Sakura immediately shot him down and then turned to Sasuke.

"Two hours on a tree. I know the Great Fireball Jutsu, the Phoenix Flower Jutsu, and the Academy Three. I'm proficient in shurikenjutsu, and my taijutsu is the best on my team."

"Kaito, you're up."

"I can go an hour and a half on a tree, I know the academy three jutsu and both the hiding like a mole and decapitation techniques. I'm working on the Earth Wall because Sensei says it will help the team a bunch, but I'm not too good at it yet. I'm proficient with traps."

"Good. Teach me the signs for the Earth Style Wall after this, and once I learn it I will correct you. My clones should have it done after an hour or so. Sakura, you're up."

"Um, I can spar on a tree for an hour and a half, like Kaito. I know the academy three, Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing technique, and I'm learning the Mystical Palm on my own from books. I don't think I'm the best on our team at anything," Sakura turned shy and glanced at the ground.

"No, you're easily the stealthiest of us all. And Naruto can you really learn a jutsu in a day?" Kaito spoke soon after Sakura finished. His words made her perk back up a little. That comment was odd, especially since her hair color really stands out.

"Yes. Now, with that settled, I want the three of you to meditate while sitting on a tree trunk. I also want the leaf exercise going at all times. Aim for four leaves at the least, more if you can handle it. This will likely exhaust your chakra reserves, which will help them grow. After this, we'll do some light sparring."

Naruto watched the three make their way up their own tree trunk, and he immediately noticed two things. Sakura had nearly perfect control and was wasting very little chakra, and Kaito was blowing through his reserves because he couldn't get the balance right. Sasuke seemed to be doing okay, and he had four leaves on him already.

"Kaito, show me the signs for the Earth Style Wall and then focus on fixing your chakra output. It's fluctuating pretty bad, so you're wasting chakra. You all can stop when I come back."

* * *

The genin went in for a late lunch after a solid few hours of training. Naruto asked Sakura to feed and try to heal Kakashi with what chakra she had left. At the table, Tsunami had just placed food out and was getting ready to head out to the garden with Inari. When Sakura came back, the genin set themselves to eating.

"Naruto, do you plan to be a jonin sensei one day?" Kaito asked as he ate.

"I haven't really thought about that, but I might. Don't know yet."

"I think you should, Naruto. You're a great teacher," Sakura chimed in.

"I'm not really… the best with people you guys."

"You talk more than I do, so there's a few bonus points," Sasuke's comment was a quick one, but everyone heard it nonetheless.

"Was that… a JOKE? From an Uchiha? FROM SASUKE?" Kaito yelled.

"Shut up, Kaito."

"It totally was! Sakura, did you hear that! He just made a joke!" Kaito and Sakura laughed aloud while Naruto smiled to himself. This must have been what Jiraiya meant. This was nice.

"But really Naruto, what do you mean?" Sakura pushed further.

"It's easier with you guys, but I'm not really the best at conversations. It's kinda why Hinata is upset with me like you said earlier."

"I call bullshit," Kaito got out between bites. "You went all 'Sage Mode' advice on that kid last night. You're great with words! You even made Sakura blush! I thought only Sasuke could do that," Kaito had to duck thrown objects from both of his teammates.

"That's different!" Naruto said as he laughed at the antics of his peers.

"How?" Sasuke asked shortly.

" **He's got a point."**

"It's pretty much the same thing. You just sympathize with people and say what you think. Or like, if it's a girl," Sakura was interrupted by Kaito's cough that suspiciously sounded like _Hinata_ , "then you just honestly tell her how you feel about her. Understanding and communication are key."

"I mean, you're pretty good with words too," Naruto pointed out as he continued to chew.

There was silence for a while, and then Sasuke spoke up, "Shouldn't someone be watching Tazuna build the bridge?"

Kaito and Sakura both jumped a little at the statement, but Naruto waved them down. "I've got a hundred clones on his perimeter and throughout the worksite. Some of them are probably helping the builders. They can handle any thugs, and they should be able to hold off any ninja less than another 'Zabuza' until I can get there."

After they had their lunch, Naruto went to check in with his uncle and took the team back to the meadow for training. 

* * *

That was how the majority of the days went by. The first week was all Kakashi needed to recover, and Naruto gave the reins back to him. Nothing really changed though. Naruto still trained with Team 7 every day, and Kakashi accompanied the clones to oversee Tazuna's workplace.

Naruto spent most nights after dinner talking to Kakashi. He tried to further his understanding of politics and important history through the masked man, and his confidence in speaking with others grew as well. He spoke more and more to his friends, and less and less of mission details.

During the offtime between training and patrols Naruto helped out both at the bridge and at Tazuna's home, and he discovered with the help of Tsunami that he had a soft spot for plants and gardening. Maybe he'd get a potted plant when he got back.

Naruto started to see the inner relationships of Team 7 during the mission as well. Sakura still had a massive crush on Sasuke, but it wasn't the main focus of her life now. Kaito seemed to have moved on from pining after the pinkette and focused more on cheering up his gloomy teammate. They had probably confided in each other about their families and bonded at least a little.

Kakashi seemed to really care for his team. More so than Naruto had expected. From what Naruto remembered, Kakashi only had a soft spot for his dead previous team and Naruto. It was nice seeing him opening back up.

Naruto also spent time with Inari. They did a lot of fishing together, a skill Naruto had been taught to survive on especially long missions. The kid was actually a softy, and the death of his father had hit him especially hard. Naruto was happy he had helped in what little ways he did.

Kurama also wasn't silent during the mission. He pestered Naruto to train with his chakra almost daily. Naruto made sure to dedicate an hour a day to it. Naruto was most comfortable in the two-tailed cloak, and he felt like he could maintain it nearly indefinitely. Anything more than that and he felt like his emotions would eventually swallow him, an effect Kurama told him that his chakra would always pose. Naruto could counteract the effect by either gaining even more of his own chakra so his coils would adapt to the volume and let his body function normally, or by acclimating to and dominating the effect of the chakra. So far, He could hold four tails for five minutes, and the fifth tail for less than half a minute.

After the second week went by with no incident, Kakashi started increasing the patrols. Zabuza could very well be healed and was definitely coming back soon, and Tazuna had to be protected. Team 7 had grown considerably under Naruto's instruction, and would likely pester Kakashi for new jutsu as soon as they got back to Konoha. Naruto felt fine with them patrolling on their own now.

And just like Kakashi had predicted, there would be an attack during the third week of their stay, when the bridge was nearing its completion. Naruto was the only one guarding the house that day, and the rest of the team were luckily watching Tazuna's back.


	13. Chapter 13

Naruto looked down from the branches of the tree he was in and watched the two men approach the household. Tsunami was inside preparing lunch for Inari to take to his grandfather, and Naruto was on full alert when the two men came strolling by. They were obviously thugs, hired off the street with no training but plenty of muscle.

Naruto didn't kill them outright because he had to make sure they were actually guilty. Well, that and the fact that Kakashi gave him orders to fight to subdue anyone that wasn't an immediate threat.

The first thug knocked on the door of the house, hiding his crude club behind his back. The second did likewise, the blade of his sword laid flat against the back of his dirty shirt. Naruto saw the door open, and Tsunami stood there with a cautious smile on her face.

"Oh! Hello, gentlemen, is there something I can help you with today?" behind her Naruto could see Inari inching away behind the door.

The man that opened the door spoke. "Yea, how's about you comin wit' us, huh? Make a good little hostage for da boss?"

Tsunami looked around, likely for Naruto, as she backed away and tried to close the door. That was all the proof Naruto needed.

A quick shunshin brought Naruto behind the second thug, and a quick chop to the neck was all that was necessary. Naruto grabbed the hair of the man in the doorway before he could react, and with his freehand Naruto grabbed and broke the man's wrist. The club fell as the thug yelled in pain.

"Who's 'da boss'?" Naruto asked plainly. Tsunami looked relieved and inari next to her seemed smug.

"I ain't tellin' you nothin, brat!" such a typical response.

" **You could always break more bones. That always works."**

" _I could, but Inari's watching."_

" **Ah, true."**

Naruto drew a kunai and silently rested the tip between the man's legs. "I mean, you don't HAVE to tell me or anything. I don't want to be pushy."

"F-fuck alright! Calm down there, kid! Gato! My boss is Gato!"

Naruto smirked and bashed the man's skull with the back of his kunai.

"Thank you, Naruto. Those two were so rude!" Tsunami exclaimed as she stepped over the body to hug the blond.

"Here," Naruto summoned a few clones. "Go with them and get to the village. I'd advise everyone to get indoors and armed until someone comes to tell them it's over. I gotta go help my team."

* * *

_With Sasuke, Sakura, and Kaito_

"Did you guys hear what Kakashi-sensei told Naruto the other night?" Sakura whispered as the trio of genin walked their end of the bridge.

"No. Why do you feel the need to eavesdrop?" Sasuke grunted.

"Sensei promised him that when we got back he'd ask the Hokage to let him 'put on the mask' one more time for an honor mission!" she seemed overly excited.

"That's dumb, Kakashi is always wearing his mask. Even when he eats, remember?" Kaito added.

"No, you idiot!" Sakura sighed. "Sensei used to be in ANBU. And the honor mission is probably to kill Gato since we promised Tazuna's family we'd take care of him!"

"How do you know that?" Sasuke asked, actually curious for once.

"Well, I heard it from Ino, who was told by Choji, and Choji heard his dad talking to Shikamaru's dad," Sakura started to explain.

"We get it," Kaito cut her off.

Suddenly, just as the group was getting towards the unfinished end of the bridge, a mist started to roll in.

Kakashi appeared next to the genin in a swirl of leaves. "Get the workers to the village. Now. Sakura, go get Naruto. Kaito, Sasuke, I'll need you two to keep an eye out for Zabuza's friend. He can't be much older than you, so work together and take him out. Go."

The group of hard hat wearing men left with Sakura to get back to their families. Tazuna stayed so that the enemies wouldn't target the village, just like Kakashi told him 'just in case' days prior.

Soon enough, the bridge was shrouded in the unnatural mist. Kakashi stood stock still, with Kaito and Sasuke not too far behind him.

"I think it's about damn time we got to our rematch, Kakashi."

Zabuza's voice echoed around the Konoha nin just like last time. This time Naruto wasn't there to clear the mist. Kakashi already had his Sharingan out and blazing.

"I have no qualms about beating you a second time, Zabuza. I'll be sure to kill you myself this time."

There was an icy wind, and then a cold explosion at the feet of the two genin. They were sent hurtling down the bridge, tumbling head over heels. Kakashi turned to help them, but the Executioner's Blade slammed into the concrete to block his way. Zabuza stood holding the handle.

"Ah ah, let's let our students have some fun while we have ours, yeah?" the question had only one answer to it, and Kakashi was glad that water clones didn't relay memories as shadow clones did. Otherwise, Zabuza wouldn't risk his student going up against Naruto.

* * *

Sasuke stood groggily and held his head. That icy explosion had been powerful, and he had smashed his skull more than once on the tumbling trip down the bridge. He looked down and Saw Kaito also shuffling to his feet, and Sasuke honestly felt relieved that he was okay. He would never say it, but his team was growing on him much more than he ever thought they would.

"Holy hell, that was crazy. Who started an explosive snowball fight?" Kaito asked as he too held his head.

"That would be me," the distorted voice of the fake hunter-nin surprised both boys.

"Hey man," Kaito looked at him, "fuck you."

Sasuke wasted no time talking and flew straight at his enemy. Kaito wouldn't be much help further than a distraction in this fight. It would be on him.

Sasuke started the fight with taijutsu. He had sparred with Naruto over the last few weeks and opened with a strike that almost landed on Naruto. A wide easily blocked haymaker followed by a fast, roundhouse kick. Unfortunately for Sasuke, the ninja he was engaged in combat with copied Naruto and ducked the foot. Sasuke saw the fist coming at his gut and barely managed to twist out of its way, but he wasn't prepared for the weird throw after it. The ninja grabbed Sasuke's arm and twisted his whole body, flinging Sasuke towards the rail of the bridge.

Before Sasuke could reorient himself, he felt a strong pair of arms catch his legs and spin him back around. It was Kaito, trying the same move that worked against Zabuza.

Sasuke had to tell Kaito to stop throwing him around after this.

Sasuke planted a foot during his flight back towards the ice user, and he used chakra to stick to the ground. Spinning on that singular foot, he attempted another kick aimed at his opponent's stomach. The kick was blocked, but Sasuke jumped and landed a falling ax kick to the ninja's head. His heel hit mask, though, and his enemy seemed no worse for the wear. Sasuke dove back in with a flurry of combination punches, but only a handful landed. He kept the tempo up enough to eliminate the possibility of a counter attack, and after a particularly vicious punch to the stomach, the opposing ninja had had enough. The ninja jumped to the side and hurled senbon at Sasuke, trying to form some distance. A few shuriken from Kaito stopped the majority of the projectiles, but Sasuke still felt two enter his left leg.

Kaito engaged next, allowing Sasuke time to pull out the senbon. It was painful, but they were in a weird spot that numbed his leg. Sasuke watched Kaito as he tried to rub feeling into his deadened limb. Kaito wasn't nearly as fast as Sasuke, but he was probably physically stronger.

Kaito took a sharp kick to his ribs but trapped the leg with his arm. Kaito used what strength he had to trip the enemy ninja and then straddle his downed adversary. Kaito dropped a hard right punch to the mask the fake hunter-nin was wearing. Instead of a sharp crack of wood, there was the loud pop of bones.

Kaito drew his hand back sharply, the knuckles displaced and starting to immediately swell. Kaito drew a kunai in his left hand but wasn't fast enough to land a blow before the ice user bucked him off. A quick spinning kick sent Kaito tumbling away.

"You two are not bad with your taijutsu. Unfortunately, it is not my specialty, so we will move on to ninjutsu now."

Sasuke grunted as he finally got use of his leg back. He hurried to Kaito's side and helped him up. Sasuke saw their enemy blow through a few hand signs and take a deep breath, and Sasuke was worried that it would be something akin to Naruto's Great Breakthrough.

"Kaito, wall!" Sasuke shouted.

Kaito obliged as quickly as he could, and the two took cover behind the stone wall just as a blast of water pounded into it. Sasuke completed his own signs and took a breath. Once the water stopped, he jumped up above the wall and released a barrage of tiny fireballs. His Phoenix Flower jutsu was better suited to this attack than his Great Fireball jutsu since he didn't know exactly where his enemy was and it covered a larger area.

The masked ninja was indeed not where Sasuke expected, but still within the range of the fire jutsu. Two of the fireballs clipped him, and Sasuke felt a surge of premature pride. Kaito released his jutsu and let the wall crumble.

"Was that bit of water your best attack?" Sasuke called out.

"That wasn't my attack."

Fuck. This might be why Naruto told them not to talk unless necessary in a fight.

The water surrounding them began to rise up in an encompassing wall. Sasuke focused intently on the hand signs of the masked ninja, but since he didn't have his Sharingan awakened he couldn't tell what was going on.

And then the water was gone. Replaced by ice. Large, pristine mirrors of ice. The slabs floated in place, leaving almost no gaps of light between them. "This, I'm afraid, is where you will die," and the ice user stepped _into_ a mirror. Sasuke was dumbfounded, and it only got worse when he saw reflections of the enemy in every mirror. He stood back to back with Kaito, and he prepared for the worst.

"Sasuke," Kaito whispered. A grunt was his response. "Dude we are so screwed."

And then the senbon came. Usually from only one direction, but sometimes two. For the most part, they weren't that hard to avoid. For Sasuke. Sasuke saw Kaito take at least one senbon from every volley while Sasuke took one every other round, and he was starting to grow desperate. Sasuke stopped jumping around, threw some signs out, and released the biggest fireball of his life. The heat from it made his face sweat, and the size of it took up most of the upper part of the dome. Sasuke kept feeding the jutsu for a few seconds, but then he heard a thud behind him.

Sasuke cut the fire and saw that it didn't even melt the mirrors. When Sasuke turned around, he saw Kaito laying on his side, facing him. There were half a dozen senbon sticking out of his back, like a cruel joke of a pincushion. Sasuke's vision swirled, and his sight became clearer, more vivid. He could faintly see Kaito's chest moving with breath, and he knew what must have happened.

He was attacked from behind while he held the jutsu. Kaito saw this and jumped into the line of fire for him. Like a true teammate would. Like a brother would. Sasuke's eyes teared up, blurring his vision again as he fell to his knees.

"That attack was not meant for your friend. Had he not interfered, they would have only knocked you out. It was never truly my intent to kill you," the masked ninja emerged from a mirror.

Sasuke spun his head and screamed. "He's not dead! And you won't… take anyone else from me…" Sasuke's eye's narrowed as he stood once more.

There was a great, resounding crash. A single mirror shattered under some great force, and suddenly Naruto stood in its place holding an outstretched palm. "Sorry I'm late, Sakura should catch up soon…" Naruto saw a distraught Sasuke kneeling next to a seemingly dead Kaito. "Kaito…?"

Sasuke looked directly at Naruto and said with all the authority in the world, "He's not dead. I see his breath."

That was when Naruto noticed his eyes. Red, one with two tomoe and the other with a single.

" **The Uchiha has awoken his eyes. That is good for him. I suggest getting Kaito to Sakura though. Most of those senbon are in paralysis points, and only one is in a semi-lethal spot. He will be okay."**

" _Thank you for the assurance, Kurama."_

"Get Kaito to Sakura, Kurama says he'll be fine," Naruto ordered Sasuke.

"I'm afraid I can't allow you to leave until Zabuza finishes the mission," the masked ninja said.

Naruto's demeanor immediately changed. His eyes narrowed in barely concealed anger, and his presence leaked out as intense hatred. The air chilled even further, surpassing the effects of the surrounding ice. "I take it you are the one responsible for the senbon?" Naruto asked with a cold calm.

"Yes, but it wasn't my intent to—"

The masked ninja's body was replaced by Naruto's. Naruto stood with an outstretched fist, having moved too fast for anyone but Sasuke and his Sharingan to see to punch the opposing ninja.

Said enemy had been launched into a mirror, cracking its surface since he could not mold the chakra required to enter it. He rose, and his mask fell away in pieces. "You hit hard. These mirrors are as hard to break as this mask."

"Maybe I'll put some chakra into my next one," Naruto bantered.

" **Don't get baited into a conversation. End the fight and get to Kakashi. Wait, we know this ninja!"**

Naruto looked again at the newly revealed face. Sasuke had already left with Kaito to reach an approaching Sakura, so the following conversation would be private. "Haku?"

"I'm sorry, Naruto. I can't disobey Zabuza. He's just trying to make a living and our mission puts us against you. I didn't mean to hurt your friend. My senbon would have simply put Sasuke into a deathlike state, but Kaito jumped in the way. I promise you."

"I see that you would work even for someone like Gato. I also apologize for having to subdue you."

"Naruto, you don't understand the capabilities of this jutsu," Haku started. The mask was no longer distorting her voice, and Naruto recognized it easily.

A clone popped into existence in front of each mirror and slammed a Rasengan into each one. The resounding shattering sound captured everyone's attention as shards rained down. Naruto's gaze never left Haku's now horrified one.

* * *

Kakashi stood in front of an immobilized Zabuza. The powerful jaws of Kakashi's fiercest dogs held him in place. "Oh, and Naruto's here. That battle is finished up too."

"That… kid… shattered Haku's ice mirrors?" Zabuza panted out.

"Zabuza that 'kid' could probably kill you if I let him cut loose."

"Heh… bullshit. Just fucking kill me already."

"Actually, I think I'll hold off. I don't take it you requested backup from a band of trash, so we'll see what that boat of thugs has to say. Pakkun, go tell Naruto to keep Haku alive and bring everyone over here."

"Backup? Fucking… Gato must be trying to cross me. If he's with them, Kakashi, consider our battle over. I'll have no reason to kill you."

"Smart move."

* * *

"Kakashi, I had Sakura stay back to heal Kaito. He suffered debilitating injuries and required immediate attention. Sasuke refused to leave his teammates. I will be sufficient for whatever purpose you had for your team." Naruto reported as he dropped the still body of Haku off his shoulder. The girl was beaten up a fair bit and restrained with Ninja wire.

"Understood. We have company I want Zabuza to meet," Kakashi motioned to the unfinished side of the bridge where a band of thugs and bandits were amassing.

Zabuza managed to turn his head just enough to see a short, stocky man speak up. "Beaten by a single ninja and a bunch of kids. Some Demon you turned out to be!" the men behind the speaker all laughed.

"What is this, Gato? Are you crossing me?" Zabuza called out with the image of his usual strength in his voice. Haku had also sat up to see the exchange.

"I wasn't going to pay your insane fee anyways! These perfectly good men behind me cost half as much as you did!" Gato sneered. "Luckily Konoha did the dirty work already."

"Okay, Kakashi," Zabuza groaned as the dogs released him. "That's the end of our differences. Let me kill off these losers and I'll be on my way."

"Zabuza, you can hardly stand, allow me," Haku asked as Naruto also released her.

Sakura and Sasuke walked up, each supporting an arm of Kaito. "What did we miss? Why are we letting them go?" Sasuke asked. His Sharingan blazed at Haku in his anger.

"We're on the same side now. Their employers turned on them, and now our other enemy is in front of us," Naruto said as he pressed a calming hand to Haku and Zabuza's shoulders.

Naruto spoke again, "Kakashi, by your order I will eliminate the last threat to our mission. I will also complete your previous order in the mission of 'training my friends until the missions end' by presenting them the last step of training. I will also bring Zabuza Gato to finish as a sign of goodwill between us."

Kakashi stood in thought as Gato continued spewing insults. He knew what Naruto wanted to do. He wanted Team 7 to take their first kill here, and it was honestly a good plan. This also saved Kakashi the Mission of Honor he had planned for later to kill Gato.

"Granted. Proceed in any way you wish."

Naruto rose and took two steps towards Gato's mob. Gato laughed aloud and was joined by his men. "You send a child to his death before me? I have no issue with that!"

Naruto looked back at Zabuza and smiled slyly. "Wanna see a real Demon?"

" **Oh yeah!"**

"Oh no," Kakashi muttered. Naruto was within his bounds to use the Kyuubi's chakra. Oh well.

Naruto faced the mob smiling. And before everyone's eyes, three tails sprouted behind him. Red tails of pure chakra and a layer of red surrounded him in a cloak. Naruto flexed his hands, now tipped with long, deadly claws, and said, "No jutsu, no tricks, just chakra."

Zabuza's jaw dropped as Naruto flickered and reappeared behind the mob. He may just be exhausted from his beating, but he still didn't see the kid move. The leftmost men all yelled in sudden pain, clutching at the gaping triangular cuts where their hearts should be.

Before the crowd could even finish turning around, the first few me in the back met their end. Within the span of four seconds after the initial movement, only four thugs stood alongside Gato. The rest had fallen either cut in half, headless, or holding their own various organs that had been plucked out by the yellow menace.

" **GODDAMN, it feels good to fight like that! Naruto, I know you hate killing this way, so thank you for humoring me."**

" _You're lucky I feel desensitized when I'm in your cloak."_

"Fucking jinchuriki," Zabuza muttered as the kids all stared on in shock.

Naruto's cloak dissipated, and he stood on the opposite side of the five men with his arms crossed. The remaining men dropped their weapons, but it did them no good. A clone appeared at the side of each, and with a single swipe cut both hamstrings per man. The screams of pain were drowned out by their vomiting when Naruto brought them to the group via Shunshin.

"Zabuza, here is your former contractor," Naruto dropped the crying small man at Zabuza's feet along. "Sasuke, Sakura, Kaito. This is the ugly side of being a ninja. The last of your training will be to take your first life of a defenseless man."

Sakura immediately leaned to the side and threw up.

"Sensei… is this for real?" Kaito whispered, beginning to get a bit of his strength back.

"It is generally custom for a new genin to take a life before their first big mission, so it is a bit late I guess," Kakashi told them.

"This will be the hardest kill you make," Naruto started over the whimpering of the men, "Some teachers prefer to have students fight to the death with bandits that stand no chance. But this way, you have to take the life of someone who is already defeated. Someone who you could very well capture, but deserves and would receive death later anyway. This is what my sensei did for me, although I had to do the 'beating' myself. After this, you will hopefully never have to kill a defenseless person again."

Sakura shook visibly, Kaito couldn't bring his gaze up, and Sasuke no longer had his trademark brooding face on.

"The kid's right. I had been trying to make Haku do it for years. He took his first only two months ago. Watch, it's actually simple," Zabuza grabbed the Kunai Naruto left him and immediately sank it into Gato's screaming skull with his one good arm.

"Don't use a jutsu. That makes it less personal. You have to feel the pain, know the agony so you know what you are doing every time you kill," Kakashi added.

Sasuke was the first. He drew a kunai, walked up to the first bandit, and plunged it into his throat and out the back of his neck. Sasuke held the knife there, his Sharingan active and capturing every detail of the kill. Hot blood rushed over his knuckles and hand. Sasuke's one eye spun as it gained a new tomoe, bringing both eyes to two. Sasuke wavered and stepped back, wiping his blade on the man's clothes. It was something he would have to do to his brother one day, might as well get used to it.

Naruto had taken the fourth man for himself in case his teammates needed the push, but since he was useless, Naruto simply snapped his neck and tossed him to the side.

Kaito repeated Sasuke's actions, and then fell to his rear and started sobbing quietly. Kakashi laid a hand on the top of his head. Kaito was still weak from his fight, and it likely took all of his energy to make the simple kill.

Sakura was last. She stood trembling with the kunai, the man in front of her on his knees and resigned to his fate. "Go on, girl. I've made my peace, I'm ready to follow my friends."

Sakura let out a single sob, grasped the back of the man's head, and plunged her weapon into his throat. She cried aloud as she felt the blood washing over her hand, the gurgling of the now dead man getting drowned out by her crying.

She moved back near Sasuke and Kaito and quieted down. Haku formed a pool of water for everyone to wash the blood off of their arms, and Naruto actually jumped in last since he was covered in it.

Kakashi walked his students back towards Tazuna'a, and Naruto sent clones to the village as he sat with Haku and Zabuza.

"Why did you agree to work for him?" Naruto asked the large ninja.

"I needed the money. Simple."

"No shit. But for what?" Naruto pestered.

Zabuza looked at him and sighed. "I… I needed it to fund the rebellion in Kirigakure. It was the best paying job available to missing-nin."

Naruto was puzzled at that. "You're still loyal to your village?"

Zabuza laughed aloud, "Ha! After what I've seen? Hell no. I just wanted to help the rebels kill my old friend Yagura."

"You're friends with the Mizukage, and you want him dead?" Naruto asked, understandably confused.

"He WAS my friend. Something's possessed him, and he had me tried for treason when I tried to snap him out of it. My friend is gone, I just wanted to free his body of whatever's controlling it."

Naruto sat in thought and then had an idea. "You know, since that was your only real crime, I could eventually give you two sanction if you're tired of living on the run."

"Pfft. Haku, maybe. I've got a long, bloody list of crimes starting even before I left. Haku's clean though."

"Zabuza, I'm not leaving you."

"I think you should. You're too soft to be much more help to me, and I don't need you getting in my way."

"No! I owe you everything! I live to serve you!" Haku started to sound desperate.

"Then I order you to go live a fluffy, happy life in Konoha. How would you even do that kid?"

"Well, after the chunin exams I plan to come into… a bit of land. I'll need people to help me if I want to ever restart a clan so…"

"Got the hots for Haku? How'd you know he's a she?"

" **Oh, that's a good one!"** Kurama's laughter rang out in Naruto's head. Haku blushed and looked away, both angry and embarrassed.

"No, I'm just saying that to rebuild the Uzumaki clan I'll need powerful allies. I thought you could be like our master sword trainer or something."

"You're an Uzumaki?" Zabuza's voice rose with the question.

"Well, yeah," Naruto didn't mention his second name.

"Haku, go with this kid. Have his children if you can convince him."

"ZABUZA!" Haku punched his injured shoulder.

"I'm spoken for, sorry," Naruto said sheepishly. He was, right?

"Damn. You Uzumaki bunch are strong as shit. Live forever too. Makes sense on why they put the fucking nine tails in your gut," Zabuza mumbled the last bit.

"I owe quite a bit to your family, actually. Haku, go with him. Once I finish my business, we'll see if your offer still stands."

Haku conceded and looked at Naruto. "I'm not sleeping with him."

Naruto coughed violently and turned beet red. "Kami, no! I just thought you'd like to not be on the road all the time! Jeez!"

"What's your plan, kid?"

"Haku, come and watch the final of the chunin exams. I can claim you under my protection once I'm chunin."

Zabuza was about to comment on how sure he sounded, but then remembered what he literally just saw him do.

"Fine. I will see you then, Naruto."

And with that, the pair left, and Naruto sat alone thinking about the choice he just made.

" **You aren't even dating and she's moving in? What will Hinata think…"**

" _Oh gods, I have to talk to her and fix things."_


	14. Chapter 14

Back in Konoha Naruto placed his first potted plant on his bedroom windowsill. It was the first thing he did when he got back. He had stopped by Ino's shop, chatted for a few minutes, grabbed the plant, and headed home to drop off his supplies. He was to meet Team 7 at the Hokage Administration Building in ten minutes.

Naruto sat on a kitchen chair to simply think over the past few weeks. After Zabuza and Haku left, Naruto confirmed with Kakashi that he would be able to protect them once he claimed his birthright. After that, the villagers had celebrated the death of Gato with a night-long party, and dozens of volunteers showed up to help with the bridge the next day.

With the help of a hundred or so clones and the extra volunteers, the bridge was finished within two weeks. The story of Naruto's feats had spread during their stay there, and Tazuna held a vote to name the bridge after the blond Jinchuriki.

Speaking of, Kakashi was slightly upset that Zabuza and Haku knew of the fox. On the other hand, Zabuza seemed to really take to Naruto and his last name, so hopefully they would keep quiet.

Naruto stood, stretched, and prodded his mind at Kurama to see if the lazy bastard was still asleep. He was. Walking in silence, Naruto started toward the Hokage's office.

* * *

"Kakashi, just to clarify what you said, You believe that the mission was a high A-Rank? Are you sure?" the Hokage held his head in his hands.

"You see, sir, the whole thing started out with an encounter with a pair of chunin missing-nin. After that we requested the assistance of a support genin," Kakashi started.

"Two _chunin?_ You encountered shinobi of that caliber and continued regardless of your team's inexperience?" Hiruzen was shocked at Kakashi's decision.

"Well, yes, but also no. We waited for Naruto here," Kakashi pointed at the blond who smiled innocently. Besides, two chunin to Kakashi was more of a joke than anything.

"Continue," the Third's voice was muffled since his head was laying against his desk.

"We continued on and eventually encountered Zabuza Momochi, one of Kiri's rogue Seven Swordsman."

There was a loud, drawn-out groan from the old Sarutobi.

"After his defeat, we were deceived by one of his allies, a presumably mid-chunin level ninja who was posing as one of Kiri's Hunter-Nin."

The Hokage did not lift his face from his desk, and there were mumbled words that went along the lines of sending more backup.

"Naruto then took temporary command and trained his peers while I took a week to recover from chakra exhaustion. Eventually, we had a rematch with Zabuza and his friend. Kaito suffered semi-serious wounds that Sakura managed to heal with basic knowledge of the Mystical Palm technique. Naruto arrived in time to finish the battle with the masked ninja and capture her."

Kakashi paused to breathe and gauge the reaction of his superior. Kakashi could actually be in deep shit for making such a decision. The fact that everyone was alive was the only reason Kakashi wasn't getting suspended already.

"Gato then arrived on the scene to betray Zabuza, ending our hostilities with the ninja. Naruto then decimated Gato's mob of roughly thirty bandits and allowed Zabuza to kill Gato to show good faith. After action proceedings went smoothly, with no additional hostilities. The bridge was named after Naruto."

This made the old man actually laugh. It was a short, barking laugh, but it was still a good sign. The Hokage stamped a few sheets of paper, the mission upgrade papers, and handed one to each of the team members.

"I don't even want to get into details right now. Team 7 you are dismissed. Naruto, I need to speak with you."

Naruto stood with his hands behind his back, watching curiously as the Hokage rubbed his aging face in frustration. "I don't know why I allowed this position of Support Genin to open up. You're getting requests even before you finish the missions you go on."

Naruto beamed at the information. Looked like he'd never be short of work.

"However, I am enforcing a two week rest period on you. You need to learn and grow more than go on ragtag missions. Did Kakashi teach you anything while you two had the chance?"

"We discussed a few points of village politics and some history. I had planned on just kinda having a bunch of clones read through books for me."

Hiruzen gave a slight frown at that. "Don't rely too heavily on your clones, Naruto. Make sure you learn some things yourself."

"I know, Old Man. Ero-sensei made sure I always did my own training when I had my clones working on stuff."

The Hokage gave a small smile to his student's name. He always did when Naruto brought it up. "Good. In that case, do you think you'll need a tutor?"

"Nah, but it would be nice to talk to someone about that kind of stuff every now and then you know?"

"How about we start getting Ichiraku's Friday nights again, like when you were little?" Hiruzen gave the suggestion with a small smirk, knowing the answer already.

"WELL. I mean, it's not the _healthiest_. But, I guess I can't say no to the Hokage right?" Naruto's broken up response showed how excited he really was.

"Good. I'll see you this Friday then, and you can tell me how much you enjoyed being in charge for a week! Now get out of here, and make use of your two-week break.

* * *

"Your cut of the five-hundred thousand payout of the mission comes out to a hundred grand. After your basic tax cut, here is a banknote for sixty thousand Ryo!"

Naruto left the administration building grumbling. He should have gotten half of Kakashi's cut, he did his job for most of the mission. Naruto wasn't really concerned with the money side of things. He never really spent any except for mission supplies and had a pretty decent amount in his account.

Naruto left the bank with ten thousand Ryo in his pocket and over a hundred grand in the bank. Not bad for a little over twelve-year-old kid. Naruto knew what he wanted to spend his money on this time, and he went straight to Ino's flower shop.

"Naruto! You're back already? Did you already let your plant die?" Ino teased from behind the counter.

Naruto still felt a little stiff around her, but his time simply being with Team 7 made him feel a bit more at ease. "Nah, some of us don't suck the life out of everything."

That was a very Kaito-like joke. Naruto found it funny, and he knew Kaito would as well. However, if Ino was like Sakura… that may have been a mistake.

"Oh, stuff it!" Ino giggled instead of screamed. Not bad, Naruto. "What is it you wanted then?"

"Actually, I came here to blow about two hundred Ryo on a bouquet of flowers."

Ino leaned over the counter and batted her eyelashes at Naruto. "Oh, Naruto! You aren't supposed to let me know you're buying me flowers! You have to get them from somewhere else, silly!"

Oh. OH. Oh no.

"No, uh, Ino! You've got the wrong idea! See, I'm actually. Like. um," Why was talking so much harder when girls made it about _liking_ each other? It was pretty easy up until that point.

" **Naruto, you're a regular gigolo. Your sensei would be proud."**

" _Please, PLEASE help me out of this one."_

To Naruto's surprise, Ino only giggled again. "I was just kidding, you dummy! Everyone knows you and Hinata are a thing!"

Naruto sighed extremely loudly and walked in small, fast circles as Kurama laughed at his plight. "How did everyone hear about that before me?"

"We aren't blind. Now! Flowers!" Ino vaulted the counter in an overly provocative manner. "What's the occasion? First date? Gonna ask her to get serious? Surprise gift? I know it's not her birthday. Do you know her favorite flower?"

The questions were rapid-fire and Naruto had no time to answer a single one. Eventually, Naruto interrupted, "Actually, I'm going to try and apologize…"

Ino stopped dead in her tracks. She spun on Naruto and pointed an accusing finger at his chin. "What did you do to that sweet friend of mine, huh?"

Naruto spluttered for an answer at first. "Well, you see, I'm not really all that good at talking to girls yet—"

"Trust me I know."

"— And I might have accidentally told her I only wanted to be friends so I didn't make her life harder."

Ino sighed to herself, walked to the door, and flipped the open sign to closed. "Sit down Naruto. We're gonna practice until you are at least respectable in speaking to girls. Come on."

Naruto gulped as Kurama snorted.

" **We're gonna be here a while. Wake me when she starts to strip or something."**

" _I need you to literally never say that again,"_ and Naruto cut the link.

"It'll be easy. I'll pretend to be Hinata, and you just hit on me as a normal person would okay?"

* * *

"Oh, Naruto, you're so strong!" Ino clung to Naruto's arm in the middle of the flower shop.

"Uh, thank you! I am strong to… impress you! Because I find you attractive!" Naruto responded stiffly.

Ino groaned and cut her act. "What are you doing? That's horrible."

"Sakura told me to say what I think of girls and that should work fine."

"Sure, if you can say it _romantically_. You gotta say it with passion! Tell me how you really feel! Let's try again."

They had been at it for nearly half an hour, and Naruto felt like he was making actual progress.

"Naruto, do you like me?" Ino asked, sitting plainly in her foldable chair avoiding his gaze.

Naruto thought back to all the advice he had ever received. ' _Be honest and talk about how you really feel' 'try to convey your emotions through the tone of your words, not simply through their choice. Sometimes, a heartfelt simple speech works better than a methodically crafted one.' 'Don't stare at her chest too long unless you want to get slapped. It's a fine line, but oh boy is it fun to walk!'_

"I… I don't think I just like you," Naruto started. He also avoided Ino's stare and fixated his eyes to the floor. "When I think of people that make me the happiest, you come to mind right after the people I consider my family. When I imagine the reasons I am getting strong, protecting you is near the top of my list. If I had to choose someone to spend time with, I think it would be you. But, I don't know how this is supposed to feel or if anyone ever feels like this about anyone, and I'm… scared."

Naruto paused for a shaky breath before continuing. "I've spent so long being so… absolutely sure of everything… that as soon as something as wonderful, as new, and as scary as the way I feel about you comes up, I lose everything I've worked for. All the confidence, all the strength. I feel small and vulnerable. But at the same time, I feel like it's okay because I trust you and I really think I like you and it might be normal to feel like this. I… I don't know if this is what liking someone is supposed to feel like. But if you can forgive me for before, I know that I want to find out with you."

Naruto took another shaky breath before he looked up at Ino. She was staring straight at him, mouth agape and teary eyes wide. "Naruto…"

"Did I do good?" Naruto asked nervously.

Ino wiped the underside of her eyes. "If even half of what you said is true, then you two should get married tomorrow! That was the cutest, sweetest, most thoughtful—"

"I got it Ino."

"Just here!" Ino grabbed a bouquet of red roses and thrust it into Naruto's hands. "Go, go tell her that!"

Naruto smiled, dropped an extra hundred Ryo on the counter for Ino's help, and hugged his fellow blond. Ino melted into the hug, and Naruto swore he felt her arms tighten just before she let go.

"Thank you for everything, Ino!" Naruto told her as he ran out the door.

Ino sat back down after waving goodbye. She fanned her wet eyes one more time as she mumbled to herself, "Stupid, lucky Hinata…"

* * *

Naruto stood at the Hyuuga gates still dressed in his traveling clothes. He couldn't risk taking the time to change or his newfound ability might disappear. There was a pair of Hyuuga at the gates, their blank eyes boring into him as the one to Naruto's left spoke up.

"What's your business here?"

"I'm, uh, I'm here to see Hinata," Naruto managed to say.

The guard on the right saw the flowers and smiled. "Another hopeless suitor eh? Might as well go give it a shot kid. She'll be in the gardens to the right of this main path here."

Naruto walked through the fancy walkway and saw the opening to the gardens. He hid the roses behind his back and stepped into the soft light. He blinked a few times to adjust his eyes to the direct sunlight since he just came from under a stone arch, and when they finished adjusting he couldn't breathe.

Hinata sat on her knees next to a pond. She was tending the flowers that lined the water, and there was a small fountain in the middle of the pond that bubbled softly. She wasn't wearing her bulky coat at the moment, and the smooth fabric of her kimono almost shone in the sunlight.

Add in a few butterflies and a unicorn and Naruto might even suspect genjutsu.

His palms suddenly unreasonably clammy and his breath shaking as it left his lungs, Naruto took a step forward. The link he shared with Kurama was already shut off, so Naruto was truly alone in this instance. Naruto only made it halfway to her before she noticed him. She stood and brushed her knees as she waited for him to get closer.

"Come to visit friends, Naruto? Where's everyone else?" Hinata's voice retained its gentle elegance, but it was devoid of the nerves that plagued her for years.

"Uh, actually… I came to uh. You know. Hey, your stutter is gone?"

Damnit Naruto. You're better than this. You practiced for this, come on.

Hinata didn't notice Naruto's internal grimace, or at least she pretended not to. "Yes, when you refused to have me I realized that there was nothing left to be nervous about."

This time Naruto reacted visually, his face scrunching up like he had taken a physical blow.

"Yeah, I was pretty stupid. I'm still pretty stupid, and I don't want to be anymore," why was this so much harder with Hinata? That was NOT what he wanted to say. At least, not the way he wanted to say it.

Hinata kept an impassive face and turned back to her flowers. "Look, Naruto. If you wish to 'hang out', then you will have to wait until tomorrow like the rest of our friends. Today is reserved for my Clan to conduct meetings, and every member not on a mission must remain on the grounds."

"Hinata wait!" Naruto took another step forward as he bit his lip.

She turned her face back to him.

"I'm trying… I'm trying to apologize," he slowly revealed the flowers in his hand. "You just surprised me, and I've never really had to deal with anything like that before, and I DO like you, and you were right and I think we should try whatever it is you said because no one else makes me stupid like this and I think I like this feeling as much as I think I like you!"

Naruto ended his profession with his eyes closed and roses outstretched. He was trying to get his breath back because he had poured out his thoughts in one long exhale.

Naruto felt the bouquet pulled from his grasp, and he opened his eyes. Hanaita stood in front of him, the flowers pulled close as she smelled their aroma. She was hiding a small smile behind the petals, one that peeked through only in a handful of places.

"I accept."

And then her eyes went wide in fear, and her gaze traveled above Naruto's head. Naruto stood impossibly straight and tried to shift his eyes to his left without moving his head. Someone was behind him. Someone tall.

"I believe it's time that the three of us had a small chat, daughter."

Fuck.

* * *

"What do you offer that would make me consider allowing you to court my daughter?" Hiashi had brought the two genin into a small room and sat Naruto across from him and his daughter interrogation style. His hard, pale eyes bored into Naruto, and he definitely had the protective father bit down.

"Uh, I'll protect her. And, um, give her nice things. And I'll be Hokage one day so—"

"Hinata is the Hyuuga Heiress. She will never lack anything she desires and will have an entire compound to live in. Also, do not offer things that are not yet set in stone, for I have no way to enforce your claims and I can't take your word."

Naruto made the split second decision to be totally open with Hiashi and Hinata. She deserved to know anyways. "Can I get your word that nothing I say leaves this room? I'm about to disclose highly sensitive information to you both… and Hinata will be free to change her mind when I'm finished…" that last part was a real possibility and it pained Naruto to think about.

"You have our word," Hiashi looked at his daughter as he said so.

"May I place silencing seals around this room?" Naruto pushed further. Hinata looked confused but her father merely nodded. Naruto did so and sat back down.

"By the Third's law, I am the only person allowed to disclose this information. If anyone is caught doing so they will be executed."

Hinata looked a bit worried, but Naruto figured her father knew what was coming already.

"The Yondaime couldn't kill the Kyuubi. He could only seal it away so it couldn't come back. To do so, he had to make a jinchuriki, a human sacrifice, of a baby. A baby would be the only living being who would grow to adapt enough to chakra that immense and powerful. So he chose me."

Naruto stood, raised the belly of his shirt, and activated the one-tail cloak. Hinata gasped audibly, but Hiashi remained impassive.

"I have since then learned a few things about both the Yondaime and the Kyuubi. Hiashi, you surely knew that the Yondaime was a selfless but powerful Hokage," Naruto got a nod in confirmation, "but you did not know a few things. Firstly, that the Kyuubi was controlled by someone to attack the village and wasn't in his right mind. Kyuubi's original purpose was to protect the Land of Fire."

Hishi furrowed his brow in thought at that, but Hinata was still holding a shell-shocked face from the initial reveal.

"That doesn't help my case of dating your daughter though. The thing is, since the Yondaime was so selfless, he couldn't ask someone to do something he wouldn't do himself. Like, sacrifice their firstborn son to be a jinchuriki."

This got Hiashi to look startlingly at Naruto. And Hinata started to sway as if lightheaded.

"I am the legitimate son of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki. I am set to inherit the Uzumaki Memorial Compound and the Namikaze estate attached to its side. I do not believe that there is a substantial amount of money hidden away for me, but I will make my fortune myself, and I would be honored if you allowed me to try and convince Hinata to share in it with me."

Naruto had dropped every bomb he had, and he used every lesson in clan politics Kakashi had taught him (Not a lot actually) to persuade the Hyuga elder. Naruto sat in an uneasy silence as Hinata rested her forehead against the table and Hiashi rubbed his temples.

"Naruto, I was more than prepared to allow you to date my daughter. You're all she's thought of since she was a little girl. I simply had to put on a show to keep up appearances within the clan. But now…"

Naruto didn't drop the smile he had, but he slammed his own forehead to the wood of the table. Hard.

"I am grateful that you placed silencing seals on the room, for now, I can speak candidly. Hinata has made it very clear to me that being the head of the clan would make her miserable. She is also not the most… adept fighter in the clan, and her younger sister is showing great amounts of promise. I've been devising a way to get her out of the clan without wrecking her name or getting her stuck with the Caged seal…"

Naruto knew about the seal. It was basically a glorified slave seal and was the biggest blight on the Hyuga name, even if it had saved the bloodline on more than one occasion.

"I could learn to remove it."

The room went still.

"What?" Hiashi's voice was lower than it had been before Naruto suggested the act.

"If I could study it I could probably learn to remove it."

"Father, if he could then we could…" Hinata trailed off as her father stood and walked over to a random shelf. He stood with his arms crossed in contemplation, and his eyebrows nearly met with how hard he was scrunching them.

"The Elders would throw a fit. Possibly remove me from Clan head. If you did this, Naruto, it would have to remain a secret. But it does open up a few new avenues…"

Naruto sat in uncomfortable silence as Hiashi stood in deep thought. "So, uh, does that mean you approve?"

"Personally, yes. But the council of Elders will never stand for it until you bring to light what you've told me. That being said, I have to ask you to either keep this under the radar or hold off altogether."

"Naruto, how long will you keep this a secret again?" Hinata asked quietly. Her blush was starting to return at the prospect of finally getting Naruto's attention, but her stutter thankfully didn't return.

"The Chunin exams. In the final round I'll drop a few bombs, and hopefully, I won't get killed by a mob."

Hiashi snorted from his position near the shelf. "You're more likely to get smothered by suitors. I have a plan of action now. You two are to wait to begin anything, even outside of public eyes, until I give you the word. Understood?"

A pair of yes' were his response.

"Good. Naruto, thank you for your offer and company, but I can't allow you to date the Hyuga Heiress. Please leave the compound quietly," Hiashi asked in a different tone. Naruto jumped at the sentence and then realized that he was supposed to tell everyone that was his response if they asked.

Before Naruto could leave the silenced room, however, Hinata hugged him fiercely and whispered, "Thank you, Naruto."

* * *

Naruto spent two weeks doing light training, heavy studying, and spending time with his 'friends'. He still used the term loosely since he only felt a real connection with Team 7, but he was making an effort with everyone he worked with. Ino was moving up the ranks in his friend's list (if that was even a thing) since she often offered him advice on how to have a secret romance with Hinata.

Everyone figured that Naruto was denied the right to pursue Hinata, and the only ones who talked about it were Ino and Team 7. Kaito was trying to hook Naruto up with a few different civilian girls, Sakura was offering her ear if Naruto wanted to gripe about the unfairness of life, Ino was trying to convince Naruto that love couldn't be denied or something along those lines, and Sasuke said: "That sucks." Naruto played it off as best he could, but he also was no longer training with Kurenai's team since the woman thought there was bad blood.

Training wise Naruto had started meditating while in Kurama's cloak. Kurama figured it would help stretch his chakra coils and increase reserves of both kinds chakra. Naruto would follow it up by sparring clones and practicing jutsu. The Hokage had given him the scroll to an extremely useful offensive wind jutsu, Pressure Damage, and Naruto was determined to learn it without his clones at the Third's request. It was extremely difficult, old, and few people knew of it, so it would be a good trump card at mid-range.

Naruto had met with the old Sarutobi a handful of times. Once for a social call at the Old Man's office, both Fridays during his two week break period, and just recently when Naruto was cleared for missions again.

Naruto did use his clones to study. He found studying a lot harder than training and welcomed the extra help. Sometimes Kakashi would come over and help him remember parts of history, but usually, he sat alone reading about politics and how it can completely mess with his ninja career. Turns out the Hokage is just a crazy strong politician.

* * *

The morning after Naruto was cleared for missions he found himself in the Mission Lounge. He didn't recognize anyone from his first visit to the room, so he didn't have to worry about getting noticed. After looking over the D-Ranks he did actually notice that they were real missions now. ' _Rampant wild boars near the outskirts of Konoha' 'lost hunting hounds tracking a wolf, assistance requested' 'Pair of civilian families raising arms against one another, mediator needed, possible conflict'_. Yeah, no more team bonding missions.

The C-Rank board was empty, likely because it was later in the morning.

Naruto didn't really see anything that caught his attention though. It wasn't like he was tight on cash, so maybe he'd spend another week training. It would be nice to go back to that barbeque place too. And more ramen… usually, he'd go to get BBQ when he was invited to eat with a team or with others, but when it was his choice he picked Ichiraku's.

Naruto walked out of the administrations building with his hands in his pockets. He kept his eyes down, he knew he'd see spiteful ones staring back if he caught any civilian's gaze.

"Naruto!" Naruto looked up to the familiar sounding voice. It was Choji, waving him down.

"Hey Choji, I was just thinking about you," Naruto smiled as the boy approached.

"Uh," the Akimich munched a chip, "don't say that. That was weird."

Naruto didn't drop his smile but gave Choji an odd look. It was of little consequence in the end.

"So listen, Naruto, we're getting ready to head out on a C-Rank mission and Sensei said you just got cleared for missions again. Wanna come?"

Naruto perked up at this. "What's the mission?"

"We don't know yet, Asuma-sensei is going to tell us over barbecue. You should come with me!"

"Choji you're not going to like this, but I was actually just thinking about getting barbecue with you."

Choji simply started walking away. "Come on man, that isn't cool. We both like girls, so stop saying that kind of stuff."

Naruto was starting to pick up on how friends teased each other lightly, and he thought he was doing a pretty good job.

* * *

Naruto sat with a piece of charred pork in his mouth, savoring the taste as he slowly chewed. He made small talk with Choji and Ino as Shikamaru dozed off against the window. Asuma was due to show up any minute, and Naruto was honestly getting excited.

The door's bell rang, and the three kids looked to see who entered. Shikamaru slept on.

Asuma smiled as he held up a mission scroll and walked to the table. "Hey guys, just had to run back to the house for the mission. How's the barbecue today?"

Choji spoke for the meat, with copious amounts in it still in his mouth. "It's great, like always!"

Ino smacked his head and scolded him as Asuma slid into the booth next to Shikamaru. Was that the common thing for the girls to do? Whack their teammates to keep them in line?

"Anyways, it's a pretty simple mission. We're just playing bodyguard during a shipment transaction in a town a day's travel away. Naruto, I know you're more into trouble-seeking, but I got you approved for this mission if you want to come."

Ino giggled as Naruto said, "I don't go _looking_ for trouble, it just sorta happens! And I would love a nice, normal mission for once."

"Good, then we leave the day after tomorrow at first light. We leave early, finish the mission, stay the night, and then leave in the morning," Asuma rolled the paper up and then started eating his share of the meat.

Naruto silently vowed to grab a serving of Ramen before he left, since this mission could very well turn as sour as the last ones have. He had a talent for that kind of thing.

* * *

Naruto laid down the next day on the couch of his living room fat and happy. A serving of ramen for him could mean anywhere between five and twenty-five bowls. He had his travel pack ready to go next to him, and it was fitted for any standard C-Rank mission although this one would be much shorter. It was prepacked when he was preparing scrolls at the beginning of his two-week layoff, and he wasn't going to dig through to change anything.

In one scroll he had his personal items. Food, water, bedroll, tent, and extra clothes. In another scroll were his extra weapons; shuriken, kunai, and a few extra yards of ninja wire. The next scroll held his sealing equipment, and it was full of ink, blank paper tags, and premade bomb-tags. These three scrolls were sealed into a triple-layered sealing array scroll of his own making. Ero-sensei said true masters could make them have dozens upon dozens of individually activating layers, but Naruto could work with his maximum of three.

That scroll sat in a pocket on his left thigh, strapped in for the ride. The other pocket had a similar triple sealing scroll, but it was filled with items in the case that there was someone that needed rescuing. Extra food and clothes in one scroll, the extra mattress and tent Naruto brought with him to wave, and the third spot held an empty scroll Naruto could fill with extra belongings.

Now it was time to grab some sleep so he could meet Asuma and his genin at the main gate in the morning, and hope to Kami that this mission wouldn't go haywire as every other C-Rank Naruto did…

* * *

Update, normal C-ranks suck. Team 10 got back to Konoha yesterday, and Naruto was back in the Mission board room looking for C-Ranks that could get crazy because there was no way he was putting up with the tame ones anymore. It was literally just hours and hours of standing around and training in his off time. Granted, Naruto was happy that he had time to socialize with the team and start perfecting his new ideas on a few seals, but it got boring pretty quickly.

Naruto knew Ino felt nearly the same way and had hoped that the mission would have been affected by Naruto's luck to become more interesting. Now though, he stood in front of the C-Ranked missions and took the only one that seemed to hold any semblance of danger; border patrol along the border of Land of Hot Springs. He might even run into Ero-sensei…

It would be about a month long at the least, and Naruto knew that he'd have plenty of time to train in more destructive techniques while he was out. Pressure damage, here we come. During the last mission Naruto had managed to change his presence into a calming aura for extended periods of time, and now he also wanted to experiment with extending his range along with mixing in Kurama's chakra.

" **Will we get to fight on this mission?"** damn fox must've heard the thoughts about him.

" _Honestly, I hope so. I know it's not right to hope for conflict, but it's pretty boring otherwise."_

" **You're telling me."**

Not wasting any more time, Naruto went home to pack. He wouldn't have to worry too much about food supplies since there was an off-duty station he would stay at every few days or something like that. All he really needed was clothes, weapons, sealing supplies, and maybe something to read while he wasn't on duty or training.

* * *

Naruto walked into Higurashi's looking to pick up a few extra sets of throwables. He had two and they would suffice for the actual mission, but he still wanted to practice on his off days. Naruto saw that it was Tenten at the desk this time, and he gave her a smile as he automatically moved to the shelves of shuriken and kunai.

Naruto picked up another pair of each set, and he walked over to a waiting Tenten. "How come every time I come in here it seems dead?" he asked.

Tenten shrugged. "Most people come in at the beginning of the month and buy everything they need. The rest of the month we only have about half a dozen customers a day."

"Huh, weird. Hey, do you have anything I can read through in some off time? I picked up a patrol mission to the North."

Tenten's face brightened as she pointed to the back of the store. "Behind that door on the left is a room of scrolls and books that are essential to ninja. I think you'll find something you like."

Naruto thanked her and made his way the back room. He stepped inside and his eyes widened, mimicking his mouth. The walls were lined with scrolls, sections cut out for the different ranks of ninja in the village. The back wall had actual books, likely on tactics and such.

Naruto obviously went to the genin section first. As he thought, there was nothing that he either didn't already know or had interest in. Moving to the next block of scrolls, the chunin section, Naruto was surprised to see much of the same. Naruto saw a sign above the jounin section that noted that he would have to prove his rank to purchase them, so he looked through the harder end of the chunin scrolls.

There. _Elemental Manipulation_. That's something he wanted to learn. Naruto picked up the scroll and noted that it was a bit pricier than the others in the section. Not paying too much mind to it since he knew he could cover it, Naruto nodded to himself as he walked back to Tenten.

"Elemental manipulation?" Tenten asked as she tallied everything up. "That's some pretty heavy stuff. Sensei hasn't even broached that subject yet."

Naruto shot her a large grin, "It's something to work towards you know?"

Naruto paid for his weapons and the scroll, said goodbye, and walked happily out the door. He finally had something that might add to his arsenal instead of refining it. Naruto put his new toys and the scroll away, and used a quick shunshin to get to the North Gate and left.

* * *

"You will travel for two days along the border before turning around. Once you get back, you will have twelve hours to rest up before doing the same except in the opposite direction. Upon your return, you will get three days of some off time that you may spend however you like before repeating the process. We have about a dozen shinobi on staff at all times, and half as many samurai to handle escorting low priority captures. Aside from myself, there are currently two jonin on duty followed by eight chunin with a pair of shadowing genin. Do you have any questions so far?" the grizzled outpost commander, Hotoki Akimichi, asked as he led Naruto through the base.

"Do you know Choji?"

The large man had the look of both Choji and his father, so Naruto had to ask. Commander Hotoki gave him a slight frown. "I meant about your duties for the next couple of weeks, but yes, I do. His father is my clan head and third cousin."

Naruto smiled and continued to follow the man.

"This is the main dining hall," Naruto took quick note of its location. "Four-day rations will be provided. As far as possible combat goes, don't expect too much. It's usually a small group of bandits if anything, and foreign ninja typically go through designated checkpoints to enter the country for missions. We don't get too many visitors from Iwa and Kumo, though, so if you do see any ninja from either village be on your guard. We aren't on the best terms."

Naruto remained silent as the man continued on. The information was nice since it was his first time, but he hoped that it wouldn't happen every time he took this kind of mission.

"Those twins there are Kira and Mira Suzuki, and as soon as the last pair of chunin get in from Tanzaku Gai they will be the chunin team you tag along with," a pair of chunin were lounging in a room on a couch. They seemed to be in their late teens and were idly talking.

Naruto interrupted him there. "Excuse me, sir, but I don't have too much need for an actual team. I am proficient in the Shadow Clone Jutsu and specialize in fighting outnumbered."

"You still need to shadow experienced ninja and get the experience. It's rare for a solo genin to get the clearance to do this kind of thing, so I can't allow you to be too reckless. And Shadow clones aren't reliable enough in number to make any sort of actual fighting force. You know that."

Naruto was careful with his next words since he didn't want to upset his commanding officer. "I can always talk to the twins for tips I might need, and I can create upwards of a thousand clones before I start to feel winded."

The jonin Akimichi looked at Naruto with doubt evident in his gaze.

"I know you're old enough to know personally about my… tenant. I can do all of that without his 'cooperation'" Naruto used air quotes around the word, "and I am fully capable of taking down jonin if I utilize all of my 'options' the Yondaime forced on me."

Naruto hated dancing around the subject, but it was something that had to be done.

"I do know of your 'tenant', as you put it. And I am going to allow your solo excursions simply because it sounds like you are able to utilize its destructive nature."

" **If only he knew the half of it."**

" _Hush he's saying yes."_

"Go talk to the Suzuki twins. Learn what you can until the rest of their team gets here, and leave when they do. You'll be a buffer force headed West as they run East."

The commander turned and made his way to the food court as Naruto smiled at his victory.

" **So far so good I'd say!"**

Naruto walked into the lounge as he responded, " _Yup, I wouldn't be able to use your chakra if I was with a team. I don't plan to tell anyone here the specifics of our partnership."_

"Hi, guys!" Naruto smiled as he sat across from Kira and Mira.

"You the genin we have shadowing us? I'm Mira, and this is my sister Kira," Mira said.

"Actually, I guess our bosses decided my skills work better solo. I'm just here to see if you girls can give me any tips," Naruto made a show of rubbing the back of his head as he spoke.

"What? Jonin are the only ones to go solo! How'd you convince them of that?" Kira asked, sitting up and moving her dark hair out of her face.

"Well, I'm pretty much a one-man army with my shadow clones, and I'm better at fighting when I'm outnumbered."

Kira nodded in acceptance. "Must be the collateral damage of your jutsu then. Oh well, I guess we could help you out, kid."

Mira was still a bit shocked, though. "Unbelievable. It seems pretty reckless to send a kid out alone. Not my place I guess. What did you need to know?"

Naruto sat in thought for a moment. "Well, what do I do if I run into people I shouldn't?"

Kira laughed, "The only people you should run into is other border teams. Other than that you interrogate and kill. Or capture, if they're important enough." Both girls looked closely at Naruto, waiting for his reaction to the news.

"Probably kill, then. Commander Akimichi said we don't get too many high profile names this close to Kumo and Iwa."

The twins gave each other a look and had an entire conversation using their eyes and faces. Damn twin speak.

"Don't cover too much ground in a day. You should only travel about fifteen or twenty miles in an hour if you aren't a sensor type, and try to sleep only a few hours a night. Don't expect a real rest until you get back, people sneaking in will come at any hour."

Naruto took note of this, and several other things as he waited for the time to leave.


	15. Chapter 15

The first run along the border had been largely uneventful, with no signs of anyone coming or going. Naruto was back in the dining hall now, having just returned from the two-day excursion. He ate what he was given and left the little compound, headed to the woods surrounding the base.

" **How exciting! I think we saw NINE squirrels during that trip! And even a few deer!"** Kurama sounded beyond bored, and he had no qualms about telling Naruto.

"It was our first trip out, what did you expect? Give it time," Naruto muttered aloud. He was suddenly happy nobody was walking with him.

Kurama merely grumbled and went silent, likely getting more sleep.

Naruto sat his back against a tree and opened the scroll he bought, something he was eager to do. The first words he saw were telling him about the difficulty of the contents. Most chunin set learning this as a goal to start the path to jonin. After glancing over the material, he pulled out a single scrap of paper that was sealed within the scroll. According to the instruction just above the seal, this 'chakra paper' would tell him his affinity if he just channeled chakra into it.

Naruto held the paper and focused on it intently, and saw it split cleanly down the middle. Naruto almost jumped at the reaction, but instead looked to the scroll for his results.

Apparently, Naruto had a Wind affinity. The scroll said it was the most offensive type in most opinions, and arguably the most dangerous. Naruto liked that. A lot.

Following the instructions down the paper, Naruto started the first exercise listed. Splitting a leaf with his chakra by trying to sharpen the chakra with his mind. Or something close to that, the instructions used a few words Naruto didn't know. But hey, it's meant for older kids anyway.

Naruto set a handful of clones to learning the task and got up to spar with more clones. After he mastered the wind he could focus on learning the jutsu the scroll listed for those inclined towards wind... and maybe even pressure damage. Should make things much easier.

* * *

The next patrol was the exact same way, Naruto saw nothing of interest as he patrolled Westward along Konoha's Northern border. His three days of rest were spent the same way, and Naruto started making a bit of progress on his leaves. He could now get a small notch on the leaf, and he knew that his clones were speeding the process along. It must be pretty tough if twenty clones couldn't get it down.

At the end of the first month, Naruto had patrolled both to the East and the West two times. Including the break, each direction took about a week. Naruto met and made friends with a few different teams at the base, and got to know Kira and Mira both a bit better. He told no one of his leaf exercises though, wanting to get it all on his own. Well, on his own with an army of clones and an ancient sentient mass of chakra fueling him.

On Naruto's third and final day of rest before he was to head East once more, Commander Akimichi approached him.

"Naruto we've got a bird in from Konoha. Kakashi has his team in the Land of Hot Springs and needs bodies to conduct a widespread search. The Hokage assigned you since you have your clones. You are to leave immediately," the large man said.

Naruto got up, dusted his pants off, and stretched. "Man, those guys can't do anything without me."

"The matter is urgent, Uzumaki," the Commander narrowed his eyes. "One of their team is missing, and foul play is expected. A pair of chunin have been sent from Konoha, but you are the closest of Team 7's backup."

Naruto lost all pretense of lazy confidence and ease when he received that bit of information.

"Where am I to meet them?" Naruto's voice acquired a harder edge as he spoke.

Hotoki nodded once. "It's good to know you can be serious. Head North along the river until the Western bend, you know the one?"

Naruto nodded, having passed it on both patrols.

"Good. Cross at the bend, and you'll come to the main road. Twenty miles North along the road is a lumber yard, Kakashi will meet you there."

Naruto nodded once and took off in a burst of speed. No shunshin, just a dead sprint to the Western exit. If he hurried he could make it in a few hours, but he'd have to put some distance between the base and himself before he dipped into Kurama's stores.

" **Here we go, kit. This is what we've been waiting for, time to go kick ass."**

" _Time to go save ass. Wanna bet it's Kaito?"_ Naruto grit his teeth as he pushed himself even faster, the chakra in his legs pushing him off tree branches with a blurred speed. Even if it wasn't a joking matter, it was important to Naruto to keep up a bit of levity.

" **I'll take that bet. We're far enough away, let me give you some real speed!"**

Naruto's only acknowledgment was to activate a two-tailed cloak, and then he was speeding along faster than he ever had before.

* * *

Naruto cut off Kurama's chakra a mile away from the lumber yard, according to the signs at least. He still ran with incredible speed, but it was considerably less now. Naruto pulled up to the empty lodges panting considerably and looked around. He had expected to see Kakashi by now.

Naruto gave a loud, sharp whistle then jumped into the branches of a tree, Team 7's calling for identification. It was a good thing he remembered it from Wave.

Suddenly Sasuke came jogging out of one of the log houses, and Naruto saw Kaito sneak out the back and get into a bush. Smart. Sasuke returned the whistle and stood ready to fight. Naruto didn't play any games and jumped out of the tree.

"Naruto, you're already here? We thought sensei was back from his search," Sasuke relaxed as he spoke, and Kaito came running over from his hiding spot.

"You're fast, we didn't expect anyone until tomorrow! Where were you to get here so quickly?" Kaito's question was expected.

"I was patrolling the northern border, so I was actually right next to this country. The message came in a few hours before I was due to head out for four days, so we got pretty lucky," Naruto told him.

" **Naruto, Kaito's here. Not only does that mean you lost the bet, but we know now who's missing."**

Naruto's jaw clenched at the thought. " _You're right. I feel sorry for whoever took her. Even more so if they hurt her."_

"What's the situation?" Naruto asked in all seriousness.

"Our mission was to bring up some supplies the lumberjacks needed and take out a small group of bandits. A pretty easy C-Rank," Sasuke started. And it was true, especially since they were led by Kakashi of the Sharingan.

"Turns out the bandits joined up with a much larger group of outlaws, they call themselves the Squirrel Tails," Kaito added.

*****Video game reference? Anyone?******

Naruto cursed to himself.

"They… captured Sakura yesterday, and we sent for backup last night. These guys are no joke," Sasuke spoke softly. Naruto was actually impressed at how much he was speaking. And he really seemed to be worried for Sakura.

"We saw a missing-nin from Kumo with them," Kaito rambled on, his breath coming faster in his anger or fear. "And they have what looks like samurai along with the regular bandits. I don't know why so many people would defect from their village but—"

"Kaito," Naruto calmly cut off the boy. "Samurai defect much more often than shinobi do. It's just a fact. We're treated better and make more money unless you're in the Land of Iron. Many times they feel like they can make a better life for themselves as Ronin. I saw a lot of unhappy bandits with samurai training when I traveled with Jiraiya-sensei."

Kaito huffed and interlocked his fingers behind his head. He was clearly upset. Sasuke looked away, and Naruto noticed the emotion in his eyes too. This team really was close, and Naruto saw the bond that was making them worried for their team's pink haired medic. Naruto almost wished he had a team like that.

"I'm here to use clones and find their camp, so I might as well get started. Which way did Kakashi go?" Naruto asked as he started forming the chakra for a hundred clones.

Both Kaito and Sasuke pointed to the East, and Naruto willed his clones into existence. They took off in a silent sprint, spread out a hundred yards apart, into the trees.

"Now we wait for them to find Kakashi and the camp. If they find Kakashi first they'll send him back."

* * *

The three boys spent half an hour chatting in the sun, trying their best to keep their spirits high. Naruto had shown up, Kakashi sent for two more chunin for backup, and Sakura was going to be okay. They didn't talk about much, though. Mainly about their improvement and as their time as shinobi. They only graduated four and a half months ago, and here they were fighting for the life of their teammate.

Naruto brought up how much closer the other two boys seemed, and Kaito was honest about how much their team had bonded. Both Kaito and Sasuke only had their team to rely on, and Sakura had adopted a protective role over both of them as their medic and closest friend.

"Fuck," Naruto said as he stood and started to frantically gather his things.

"Huh? What?" Kaito asked from his seat on the ground.

"My clones found Kakashi on his way back."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Sasuke asked as he also jumped to his feet. Kaito was right behind him.

The three took off to the Northwest of where Kakashi apparently entered the woods.

"He has Sakura in his arms," Naruto started.

"All right!" Kaito interrupted with a cheer.

"Her legs are injured and he has a dozen enemies on his tail," Naruto finished.

Sasuke swore and went a little bit faster.

"Three clones just popped, but they took one out and slowed them down," Naruto started to relay his memories as they came to him. "There are five clones left to distract them, the rest are too far away to make it in time and are looking for their camp."

Naruto stumbled as he felt five sudden rushes of memory hit him. "A jutsu just took out the clones. They have at least one ninja with them. Kakashi is half a mile away, closing fast."

Sasuke and Kaito kept up the pace, but Naruto was starting to tire them both.

"When we find them, you two go with them while I take care of the pursuers."

"No! We will help!" Kaito shouted back.

Naruto growled, and he felt Kurama do the same. He didn't have the authority to order them around this time.

Before they knew it, they saw Kakashi. The masked man stopped on a branch and whistled, which the boys all responded to.

"Boys, Naruto, I'm glad you're here. I have a dozen bandits following me," Kakashi shifted Sakura in his arms, trying his best to accommodate for her broken legs. Probably broken to prevent her escape. Common tactic.

"Eleven enemies, Kakashi. At least one is a shinobi capable of medium scale fire jutsu. My clones slowed them down, but they'll be here in under a minute," Naruto reported.

"Okay, I can't leave Sakura alone, and we don't want to lead them back to the cabins to fight. You three will have to handle it."

Naruto saw his friends nod and felt Kurama stir in excitement. This was what Naruto excelled at.

Kakashi moved further back and behind a tree with Sakura in his arms just as Naruto saw the first of the pursuers on the ground.

" **Kill them all, kit. We'll interrogate one from the camp."** Naruto agreed wholeheartedly.

The three boys dropped to the floor of the forest. Naruto saw the group get closer, and he threw a single shuriken straight into the air. Naruto took a step in front of Kaito and Sasuke and inhaled deeply. As the shuriken fell, it multiplied. Not just into a few more, but dozens. Naruto had perfected the technique.

The barrage fell in front of Naruto just as he released his Great Breakthrough. Naruto put everything he had into the technique, and he was astounded when it came out bigger and better than ever before.

The shuriken shot forward in the gale as deadly debris, but trees flew as well. The hurricane-like gale ripped out trees anywhere within twenty-five yards of Naruto and sent them shattering into the rest of the forest. Why was his jutsu so much more powerful? Was the leaf exercise already working?

Naruto took brief note of his gaping friends before looking for bodies.

Six bandits lay dead, pierced by either wood or metal. Suddenly, Naruto felt a massive heat from his left, and he saw a Great Fireball launched from Sasuke's mouth. Naruto took a step back to check his teammates, and he saw Kaito draw a pair of kunai.

The pair of screams told Naruto that Sasuke had taken out two more bandits or ronin, which left two possible ronin and a known ninja.

Naruto caught sight of a few things at once. Two sets of armor; one in front and to the right, and a blur of motion to the left. Trying to surround them, a decent plan.

"Sasuke, ronin front, Kaito same to the right!" Naruto then bolted for the ninja.

" **Here we go!"** Kurama let out an internally deafening roar as Naruto engaged the enemy ninja, one he saw wore a scratched headband from Iwa. Not the Kumo nin Kaito saw earlier.

Naruto's first swipe with a kunai was hastily blocked, but it was slow and slightly sloppy. The counterattack was even more so. The taijutsu match was a deadly one, both opponents using kunai to end things as quickly as possible. Naruto had no issue dodging around and under the swings, and his first vicious spinning counter buried a kunai into the ribs of the missing-nin. Naruto shoved his second kunai into the remaining lung of the ninja, and Naruto left him choking on his own blood.

Naruto met back up with the team near Kakashi's position. The blood on the other two boys wasn't theirs, so Naruto knew they had no trouble killing the pair of ronin. They did good, overall.

"Good job, boys. We just have to get Sakura back the cabins, send a request for a medic, and wait for the backup to arrive to wipe out the rest of them," Kakashi praised. Sakura smiled at the three boys, the pain evident in her face.

"Sorry I went and got captured guys," she groaned.

"No, no!" Kaito yelled back. "We should have protected you. It's our fault this happened. Are you okay?"

Sasuke mirrored the concern and was fixated on her busted shins.

"They broke my legs, but I should be able to heal them with an hour and a soldier pill," Sakura assured everyone.

"You should still stay off of them until the medic gets here to double check them," Sasuke added. Naruto smirked, knowing her crush on the Uchiha would make her comply with his suggestion.

"You don't trust my judgment? Maybe I'll just have to practice more… on you!" her voice was stony, and Naruto even took a step back. How she was holding up so well with broken legs he didn't know, but damn.

" **She's grown feisty. I'm happy you were in time to help."**

" _Yeah, me too."_

The five turned back towards the logger's site to allow Sakura peace to heal her legs. Naruto then heard something horrible. Something that drained the life from his face. A kunai whistling through the air.

Naruto turned in what felt like slow motion, but he only saw the last second of the kunai's path. Sasuke was turned and almost had a hand out to catch the projectile, but even with his three tomoe Sharingan blazing he could do nothing.

And Kaito. Smiling, relieved Kaito…

His face contorted into one of pure shock, completely devoid of pain, as the kunai entered the side of his neck. Naruto's world lost all sound.

.

.

.

"...AITO!" Sakura's scream snapped Naruto back to reality. Sasuke caught his falling teammate, and Kaito's blood stained the Uchiha's shirt even further.

Kakashi was suddenly at his side, setting Sakura down as gently as possible at that speed. The sensei knelt next to Sasuke who was cradling Kaito's bloody head and torso.

Naruto glanced at the Iwa missing-nin as he heard Sakura sobbing loudly. The man was supporting himself on one elbow, the first Kunai from his lung now missing. Now buried in Kaito's throat.

Kakashi appeared next to the smirking, dying man. Naruto watched the mirth drain from his face as Kakashi grasped his neck with both hands. With strength and chakra nearly visible, Kakashi pulled brutally, and the ninja's head separated from the body. Kakashi, in the same motion, hurled the offending head into the woods beyond.

Naruto looked back to Kaito and fell to his knees. Sakura crawled on her elbows to his side and rose, which must have been painful, to her knees. Sasuke didn't release his friend, holding him to his chest as Kaito twitched spasmodically, bleeding out on Sasuke's lap.

Sakura gently pulled the kunai out, and the blood covered all three genin of Team 7. Sasuke allowed his silent tears to drip onto his dying friend. A pair of hands with a glowing green aura was held over the mortal wound in a futile attempt at saving the boy's life.

Kakashi walked over to his genin with a lone tear in his visible eye. He pulled Sakura's shaking hands away, mumbling something to the sobbing girl. Sakura fell to her side, ignoring her broken legs, and cried openly onto Kaito's stomach. Kaito moved his hand slowly onto her shoulder, and then stopped moving forever.

Sasuke hung his head low and allowed his shoulders to shake with grief.

Sakura clutched the limp, bloody hand to her cheek as she heaved sobs Naruto no longer heard.

Kakashi went to his knees next to his team and closed Kaito's eyes with a hand.

And Naruto knelt away from the group, his cheeks also wet but his guilt more real than the tears.

_I killed him. I killed Kaito with my negligence._

" **Naruto…"**

_He should have been dead, and Kaito should be alive._

" **Naruto."**

_How… how can I look them in the eyes after I've failed them so badly?!_

" **Naruto!"**

_I was sent to save them. All of them. And I've failed_

" **NARUTO!"** that one Naruto heard. " **You had no way of knowing. This shouldn't have happened, and that ninja should have been dead. I know you didn't miss. This was… horrible and unfortunate, but not your fault all the same."**

" _He was such a good friend, Kurama. And I let his murderer live long enough to kill him."_

" **He was a shinobi. You tempt death every day doing this, you know that. His death was unnecessary, yes, but also nearly at random. All you can do is grieve and move on. Remember him, and honor him."**

Naruto stood and walked to the grieving team. "I… I'm so sorry, you guys. I just, I don't know how he lived long enough to do this."

Kakashi was the only one to acknowledge Naruto. "You dealt two killing blows. This never should have happened. It was a last-ditch effort out of spite, and now it's over."

Sakura let out a single sob.

"I'll… I'll make them pay. I will kill everyone in their camp. It won't… bring him back… but it will make them unable to hurt anyone else. Ever again," Naruto said with his head hung.

"No. I would love to wipe their camp out, but as your commanding jonin I have to forbid that reckless action."

Naruto saw the pain the words brought his uncle, and he knew what he had to do.

"I understand the repercussions you would receive for allowing such a request," Naruto responded robotically. Sasuke looked at him with teary, blazing eyes.

"Then you understand the need… to wait for reinforcements," Kakashi finished and looked back to his fallen student.

Naruto knew Kakashi couldn't give the order without serious punishment from the Hokage.

Naruto removed his headband and laid it gently on Kaito's stomach as he told the entirety of team seven, "Watch this for me. I relinquish my claim as a shinobi of Konoha's forces."

Sakura gasped and looked at him. "No! Don't… don't leave us too. Not for something like vengeance."

Sasuke gave Naruto a knowing look, understanding the need to avenge fallen loved ones.

"Naruto…" Kakashi started to stand.

"According to the law of the Second Hokage, I have one hour to reclaim my headband and beg my commanding officer to overlook my lapse in judgment. Any later and I will be branded as a missing-nin. So, I'll be back to the lodge in less than an hour."

Everyone but Naruto sat in stunned silence. Naruto dispelled all of his clones and staggered once more at the information wave. A dozen of them had been spying on the camp, which was almost straight North. Roughly thirty bandits, ten ninja with scratched plates from both Kumo and Iwa, and fifteen men in sets of Samurai style armor.

" **This is a gamble, you know. You could still get in trouble."**

" _Would you have me do anything else?"_

" **Let's head North."**

And Naruto pulled up his hood, ready to embody his image of Konoha's Shadow Reaper.

* * *

The camp bustled with activity. The large group of mixed soldiers ambled about with a certain degree of urgency. They had deployed a small group to recapture their hostage and planned to leave as soon as they returned with her. The mix of her exotic hair color and shinobi training will net a hefty price on the slave market. Anyone else they captured along the way would only add to their haul.

Naruto walked calmly towards them out of the woods. The clearing they were in didn't offer him any cover, but he didn't plan to use any in the first place. His hood up and his face hidden, he stopped in front of the growing crowd.

"Hey, hood boy! Who the hell do you think you are?" one of the bandit watchmen asked as his friends' numbers continued to grow behind him.

Naruto said nothing, he just watched and waited. He noticed that they were all prepared to fight him. To Naruto, that meant that they were all prepared to die.

Then, when the crowd stopped growing, a shinobi from Kumo stepped forward. "Listen up, air-head," he started, "If you're here to join up you'll have to drop the hood. Can't trust a face I can't see, and I kill who I don't trust!" a clamor of laughs came from behind him.

Naruto then spoke aloud, "You kidnapped a girl from my village. Broke her legs. Then, the shinobi you sent after her killed my friend. I am here to return the favor."

First, silence. Then, the lead shinobi started laughing loudly and was soon joined by those behind him. "Guy, you either have the biggest set of balls I've ever seen or the smallest brain I've ever seen!"

Naruto said no more.

Annoyed by Naruto's silence, the man groaned, drew a single kunai, threw it lazily, and disappeared in a shunshin. So he was at least a mid chunin when he left his village.

Naruto simply caught the kunai, spun around the stab that materialized from his left, and buried the offending weapon into the man's temple. He wasn't getting up from that one, not even for a single throw.

The crowd was quiet for only a moment. "Hey!" a voice in the back shouted, "I know him! My villages Bingo Book has him listed as Konoha's Shadow Reaper! He might be A-ranked, but he's only one guy!"

" **They know of you. Good."**

" _They know who's going to kill them."_

Naruto formed two clones behind him. He would leave two shinobi alive, one for each village represented in the crowd of walking dead men.

Before the ronin out front could step towards him in a charge, Naruto released yet another type of Presence. One full of hatred and anger. It represented his intent to kill and maim, but also the emotion behind his desires. The grass beneath his feet flattened, and the sticks around him snapped and broke under the pressure. The crowd was forced to stop.

" _I want to do this alone, Kurama. I want to remember every second of their agony. No clones, none of your chakra."_

" **I understand. Go, Naruto. Claim your vengeance. Dish out Kaito's justice."**

Naruto sunk under the dirt in the blink of an eye. His clones stayed back, however. The ninja in the back of the group spun around, expecting an assault from the rear.

Naruto didn't plan to fight them that way. He wanted to show them how useless it all was. Naruto popped back up directly in front of the crowd, his new Malice as he was calling it intense and freezing the front row ronin in place.

Naruto threw a pair of kunai. One at each farthest ronin, piercing them in the neck where the armor was absent. Poetic justice. Hands slammed into the dirt, and a swamp spread out in front of Naruto capturing the legs of every enemy in front of him. Naruto channeled chakra to his arms and legs and sped forward in a fury-filled blitz.

His first punch rocked the helmet from the ronin in the lead. The metal of his gloves shattered both the metal and the bones of the man's head, and Naruto continued the deadly spinning combination of attacks.

Kicks laced with more chakra than most chunin posses unloaded into heads and chests. Powerful punches fueled by the same chakra snapped necks and liquified organs. Naruto felt bones give beneath his fists, bodies drop under his feet, and he wanted more. He wanted their screams of fear to be heard by Team 7 so they knew he was keeping his word. Naruto wanted with all his heart to scream in anger as he dealt out death with every blow, but stayed true to his training and killed in silence. The enemy, however, had no qualms about dying loudly.

Men struggled to free themselves as this shadowed entity handed out death to their comrades. Any cuts he received didn't slow him down in the slightest, and they were all shallow in nature. Every second was another dead member of the Squirrel Tails, and the shinobi in the back were the first to free themselves. They chose to jump away from the slaughter instead of saving their brethren, and in only a minute the numbers were decimated.

Naruto had blazed through the cannon fodder of the band. All that remained were nine ninja, half a dozen ronin with muddy legs, and a handful of half-dead bandits. They all stood shaking, and Naruto was even a tad bit out of breath.

" **You used a lot of extra chakra to kill them, Naruto. Your anger is clouding your judgment."**

" _I am aware now. Thank you. Would you like to help me? I changed my mind about things, let's just finish up."_

" **Gladly. Try out your five-tail cloak, and do me the favor of removing the legs of your prisoners."**

Naruto allowed his pure presence to burst from him, the feeling of Power bringing the weaker of the bandits to their knees.

Suddenly, five tails of pure, solid looking chakra erupted from behind Naruto. His Presence compounded on itself, and the bandits all fell dead. Their hearts simply couldn't handle the strain.

Naruto saw the familiar claws grow over his arms as long as he'd ever seen them, and he also knew that his eyes would become slit to match his elongating whiskers. Ears would materialize in a fiery manner, and Naruto would be nigh unstoppable.

A single red flash was all the shinobi saw, and every one of the six ronin fell dead in two pieces. Naruto had cut them all through the middle with his claws.

The nine shinobi hastily fired off jutsu of varying types. Naruto broke apart boulders with his claws, dodged gouts of flame, and charged through weak blasts of water. It all seemed so slow to him. There were bolts of lightning that missed him by mere inches, but they wouldn't have hurt even if they had hit. Naruto saw a wall erected, and a single thrust was all that he needed to shatter it like glass. That same thrust buried claws into a man's shoulder and through his heart. The bloody death fell to the side of Naruto's focus as he embraced the heightened emotions the chakra gave him. His hatred formed itself into a lunge, and Naruto batted aside a sword as he made another kill.

Two down.

A kunai buried itself in Naruto's stomach as he dodged twin spouts of fire, and Naruto carelessly pulled the metal from his body. The wound healed quickly and was shut before the kunai returned to its owner's forehead. Naruto rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding another shot of lightning. A man's arms came off, spewing blood over everyone as Naruto heard the screams. One wide swipe left massive mortal gashes in the fire users.

Six down. Kill one, capture two.

Of the three ninja left, two were from Kumo. Naruto grabbed one and used his torso to block an earth spear headed his way. Tossing the body down, Naruto eyed the last two shaking ninja. It was too bad they couldn't see his smile.

The clones Naruto made earlier appeared in a swirl of leaves, each in a one-tailed cloak. Four legs were then shortened, taken off at the shin. Poetic Justice once again for the win. The clones knocked out the screaming men, cauterized their legs sloppily with a campfire starting jutsu, and sped back to Team 7.

.

.

.

Naruto dropped the cloak after standing still for three extra minutes. He fell once more to his knees amidst the blood and innards of the men and women he had slaughtered.

" **You fought well, but I know that's not what's on your mind."**

Naruto said nothing. All he did was stare into the sky, shut his eyes tightly against the tears, and sobbed for his lost friend.

* * *

Naruto sat in the chair across from the Hokage's seat. He was waiting for the Old Man to return from consoling Team 7, and he was thinking deeply as he did so.

Team 7 didn't hate him. They had wrapped him in a teary hug as soon as he returned. Sakura had already healed her legs, but she remained on a couch for proper medics. Sasuke had been the first to see him and the first to approach him. Kakashi followed, and they had all went over to see Sakura.

Naruto's clones had kept a somber watch over the still unconscious ninja. Naruto remembered only sparing them a single glance. He remembered letting Sakura cry on him and Sasuke all night, even as Kakashi took over watching the prisoners after Naruto's clones popped.

Luckily, one of the Chunin that arrived the next day had been a medic-nin, and Sakura was cleared to travel after a few hours and a few touch-ups from the chunin. Sakura must have been getting really good with her medical jutsu.

The trip back had been silent and somber. Kaito was placed in a stasis seal to be buried in Konoha. Kakashi said that he would plan the funeral since Kaito was the last of the Ito clan.

Now Naruto sat waiting to be punished for his actions. He would accept anything the Third gave him, nothing would be enough to atone for Kaito's death. Naruto felt the sting of more tears but hastily wiped them away as the Hokage re-entered the room.

Hiruzen stared at Naruto for a hard moment before speaking. "It's a terrible thing, to lose a teammate."

Naruto only managed to nod. He didn't trust his voice.

"Kakashi tells me that you decided to ignore his orders, and opted to risk becoming a missing-nin instead of accepting the orders. Or even the punishment of disobeying a direct order."

Naruto cleared his throat, and he hoped his voice wouldn't fail him. "I used the Second's law. I had an hour to retract my statements, and as long as I did no harm to the village or its allies I would only receive a warning and short probation period."

"Naruto," Hiruzen rubbed an old, weary hand down his face, "I didn't teach you those laws so you could abuse loopholes."

Naruto felt a flicker of amusement in his chest, but it died before it could reach his lips or eyes.

"I took the risk to both eliminate a threat I believed my superior was underestimating and to avenge a fallen comrade."

"You have the Will of Fire, I'll give you that…" the Hokage mumbled.

"Thank you, sir."

"Let's wrap this official business up so you may grieve normally. How large was the threat you eliminated while securing prisoners?"

Naruto didn't have to think too hard to remember. He remembered every person he killed that day. "Aside from the dozen in their retrieval squad, the camp held approximately ten shinobi, fifteen commonplace samurai, and thirty or so mismatched bandits. They called their group the Squirrel Tails and were armed to the point of possible village raiding. Capturing exclusively Sakura of Team 7 indicated a… link to the slave trade." Naruto said the last part with utter disgust.

Hiruzen held a look of pride for a split second. That was a feat common for maybe Kakashi and Gai. Maybe it was time to add Naruto and Kurama to that mental list. "Your performance seemed to be in the interest of Konoha, so no sanctions will accompany your formal warning. You will not be able to invoke the Second's law again. You will also… ugh. Naruto, I'm sorry to tell you this now, but you will also fill in the third slot of Team 7. That is all."

Naruto's jaw hung wide as he teared up again, taken aback by the thought of possibly replacing Kaito. Hiruzen stood and spread his arms wide, inviting Naruto in as he did as a child.

Naruto hugged the Hokage and felt like he was five years old once more. No more big, bad ninja; just a little boy looking for safety and comfort.

* * *

Naruto laid on his couch in silence, lost in his own thoughts. He didn't even allow Kurama to accompany him. He had gotten Kaito killed, and now he was going to fill his spot on Team 7. The others would hate him for that. They were all close, almost family. How could Naruto hope to fit into that?

The front door opened, and Naruto saw Kakashi's silver hair out of the corner of his eye. He felt his presence settle in the armchair across the small space.

"Naruto, no one is upset with you."

"Hng."

"That ninja was dead by rights, it's not your fault. No one blames you. Kaito wouldn't either."

Naruto looked at him, but he said nothing.

"It's okay to miss your friends. Your family. Expected, really," Kakashi leaned forward in the chair. "But don't lose yourself in your grief. Don't waste the life you have because someone you loved lost theirs. I did that for a very, very long time, Naruto."

Naruto knew Kakashi meant his father and his entire team.

"I talked to the Hokage, and it's time I told you a story. It can be your introduction to Team 7," before Naruto could say anything Kakashi continued, "there's no one Sasuke and Sakura would rather have more. Now get up, we're headed to the old Uzumaki Memorial Compound."

* * *

Naruto stood next to Kakashi in an old, modest house on the edge of the memorial grounds. A preservation seal had to be broken to enter, and the place looked as if someone still lived in it. They stood in a living room of sorts, in front of a fireplace to be exact. On the mantle was a picture; a picture Kakashi reached for, touched longingly, and handed to Naruto.

It was of the Fourth Hokage in regular jonin clothes. He looked younger than Kakashi, but also much happier. He smiled as he had a hand in the hair of two boys that were flanking an Inuzuka girl. The left boy had spiky black hair and goggles on, and a soft smile himself. The boy on the right was obviously Kakashi, and he even wore a mask way back then. He looked bored.

"That's my team. Back when your dad was my sensei and not the Hokage quite yet. But this isn't my picture. This isn't even my house," Kakashi reached for another picture frame. He brushed the surface with a thumb and handed it to Naruto.

It was again of the Yondaime, except now he was in his trademark Hokage cloak. He was just as happy, if not happier, in this picture. Next to him was a beautiful red-haired woman, and her stomach bulged out prominently. It was Naruto's parents, both with a hand on the lump that was _him_. A Family picture. Likely the only one.

"This is your father's house. _Your_ house. And these pictures are the people I've grieved for years for. Losing myself and becoming less than what they expected of me. The only person missing is my own father, but you get the idea."

Naruto nodded, not speaking. He didn't have tears left, but if he did they'd be spent here.

Kakashi turned to the door as he said, "Take some time and learn this place. It's yours after the Chunin Exams. Don't let anyone see you leave. Take what you want to remember them by or whatnot, just be sure to bring it back when you move in. The rest of your team will be at my apartment, please join us when you finish here." Then he was gone. And Naruto was alone in his parents' house.

Naruto set the picture down gingerly. He would cherish it always, but it wouldn't leave the house. Naruto then walked around the living room, dragging a slow hand over every piece of furniture.

He moved to the kitchen, and could almost see his dad making an odd breakfast for his mom. Which one gave him the love for ramen? He would have to ask Kakashi some time. Naruto sat at the table and looked around, wondering why he would be shown all this now. Maybe Kakashi felt the need to reassure him? Something about opening up to each other?

Naruto got up and headed to the stairs. The first door he came to lead to a large, spacious room with a big double bed. His parents' room. Naruto felt odd being in there, but he took a quick look at everything regardless.

A closet; full of flaming cloaks to one side and hanging shirts to the other. Dressers with clothes folded neatly. On the nightstand, another picture of his parents, although this time in civilian clothing and no baby bump.

Naruto walked further down the hall. After passing a closet of linens, he came to the final room in the house. A blue-painted nursery. Naruto walked to the old, wooden crib and stared at it blankly. That was supposed to be his. In another life.

Nothing else but few odd toys littered the room. The dressers were empty, the closet equally so.

Naruto was back in the living room, ready to leave when he saw the door. The door had a seal of its own on it, one Naruto recognized as a blood seal. Naruto knew that they either worked for a sole person or anyone who shared blood with that person. Granted, the Yondaime made the seal and there were pieces Naruto didn't recognize that could hold any purpose at all.

Naruto bit his thumb and placed it on the center of the seal. Miraculously, the intricate ink patterns began to swirl on the paper as half of the seal peeled off of the wall and door, unlocking the room. Naruto turned the handle and walked inside, in awe at what he saw.

It must have been his father's study. The walls were lined with scrolls, and the desk in the center of the large room had a scroll in a glass case. Naruto knew he was meant to read it.

_Naruto_

_Hey, it's your dad! This is kind of a personal will, and I'm writing it out to you specifically just in case there's another surprise war or something and I don't get to meet you. First off, I love you so, so much. Right now you're still a little lump that your beautiful mama both loves and loves to complain about! Don't tell her I wrote that. Anyways, this message is meant to give you what I didn't want to write down in my public will. The things that will let the world know that you're my son. The wall behind my desk is full of scrolls on the theory behind Fuuinjutsu, something I'm pretty well known for. Included are my notes to recreating the Hirashin, the jutsu that is likely the sole reason I'm Hokage. The left wall has a bunch of ideas I've had for seals and jutsu, but I'm not sure how full those scrolls will be if you ever have to read this. Hopefully, you never read this_ _and that wall is full of amazing ideas, right?_

_If you are reading this, though, then that won't be true. I've also left the notes for my other signature jutsu in my top drawer, something I know you'll love if you grow up to be a ninja too (I have very few doubts about that!) It's the Rasengan. It's great the way it is, but as of now I haven't figured out how to complete it and add a chakra nature to it. If I don't, maybe you will, who knows! Again, son. I love you, no matter what happens or what you do. And even if you decide to ignore this entire room full of jutsu and sealing and knowledge, know that you'll make me prouder than this room ever will._

_P.S: KYUUBI SHIT GOIN' DOWN_

_Naruto_

_It's me again, kinda. I'm technically a shadow clone, but one day you'll understand the meaning behind that and I still feel all the love the real me has for you._

_And I am sorry._

_For the whole Kyuubi thing. You'll understand what I mean at some point. I don't have much time and I have to go, but I just had to tell you that I love you again. Also, the Kyuubi has an ancient temple three miles off the coastline nearest to Old Uzu. Ask Jiraiya-sensei about it if you ever need anything._

_I love you._

* * *

Naruto rolled the scroll back up and placed it back in the glass case. Another letter from dad. He really had a thing for writing… must have been all the fuuinjutsu. Naruto smiled softly to himself, feeling better than he had all day.

Naruto made a quick decision. He grabbed the hiraishin notes from the wall and created almost fifty clones to fill the room.

"You guys have the range of this room and the living room. Don't break anything. Study every scroll of sealing that… dad… left here, and put them back where you found it. Tonight after you finish reading them twice each; dispel in groups of five."

Naruto left as the clones started pulling scrolls. They would each have to read two scrolls, and likely have the clones reading the easier material dispel before the rest can understand the harder scrolls. But it was okay. Naruto had hiraishin in his pocket, a piece of his dad, and a new team waiting for him at his uncle's. It was time he went and faced the music.

* * *

"I had planned to tell you this later in the week, but now is as good a time as any. I know it will be hard without Kaito, but it's something I know he'd want you all to accomplish with or without him," Kakashi started as his team rested on the living room floor.

Sasuke sat cross-legged with his back against the sofa. His eyes were puffy from his previous quiet tears. Naruto sat past his feet, his legs laid out straight as he sat in the middle of the rug. Sakura lay curled on the floor, her head on Naruto's lap and back flush against Sasuke as she looked at her sensei.

"In a little over a month, you three will enter the Chunin Exams. And you will all pass, and become Chunin just the way Kaito would have wanted to."

Naruto knew that Kakashi continued to bring up the way Kaito would have felt because of the way he probably coped when he lost his own team. Kakashi didn't want to see Team 7 fall down a slippery slope of despair.

"I… I think I want to do that," Sasuke mumbled.

Naruto nodded in agreement and Sakura sniffled out an affirmative.

The four sat in silence for a good while, lamenting their lost friend in each other's comforting company. Naruto didn't feel Kurama, and he figured the fox wanted to give him time with his team.

His team. Before, he wanted to share a bond with a group like this, but now he wished all the isolation in the world upon himself if Kaito could be here instead. Little did Naruto know he had this kind of bond with people already. It was horrible that Kaito had to be the one to show him that.

"What happened to the ninja we captured?" Sakura asked from Naruto's thigh. Naruto ran a hand through her long, pink hair to try and ease her pain.

Kakashi sighed before he answered. "They've been interrogated and will be released to their villages for execution. Iwa apologized and said that they've had a number of defectors due to disagreement on the surfacing of certain rumors. Kumo swears that the attack wasn't an official order and has offered to pay for the funeral."

That Iwa ninja was only there because of rumors about the Yondaime's son. About Naruto. Add that to the guilt.

"Why is Kumo so eager to please?" Sasuke asked suspiciously. His voice was coarse, likely from lack of proper use.

"Our relationship is already on thin ice with Kumo. If it had been a Hyuuga instead of the last Ito… things could be much worse off politically."

Naruto knew what he was speaking about. And he thought immediately of Hinata. If she ever got hurt… and if it was EVER because of him…

"But we're here to remember Kaito, so let's just focus on that okay? And next week, after the funeral, we'll start training again. And you kids will blow through the chunin exam, and Kaito will be proud to have been part of Team 7."


	16. Chapter 16

Naruto opened his eyes only to see the familiar blank expanse of his living room ceiling. Everything was different now, and Naruto was starting to lose track of time. He had only been in the village itself for a day and a night, but it depended on what time it was now. How many days ago was it that he separated Team 7 from one of their closest friends? At least three. It could be around five.

Naruto laid perfectly still, his breathing the only sound and movement in the room, possibly the house. His link with Kurama had remained blocked for the last however long it had been, and Naruto couldn't remember ever feeling so utterly alone. It was nice in a way; he was able to think about things without obstructing comments.

He only had a week before he had to try and keep Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi patched together. He would have to be stronger, and not just as a ninja. Naruto knew he'd have to be a better friend than he had been, and likely begin to see the other genin as siblings of a sort. Hell, Sasuke was an orphan too. Or… would that make them think he was impersonating Kaito? He would never do that. If anything, Naruto would honor his memory…

Naruto then swore to himself to fix any bridges he had with his peers, from any team. He couldn't handle losing anyone else, especially on his watch and at his 'fault'. For example, Kiba was one of the first people to speak to Naruto when Naruto enrolled at the Academy, and Naruto has barely spoken to him since team evaluations.

Naruto thought about his graduating class. Of the members of 'elite teams', he only kept real contact with Team 7 and Ino, not for anyone else's lack of trying though. Hinata was a special case in more ways than one, and he had spoken to her more than the other members of her team combined. Kurenai sensei was the one to teach him about the Presence for Kami's sake!

Naruto also decided he had to become stronger in a physical sense as he laid on his couch. He would make sure he protected everyone who mattered to him, at any cost. Hadn't Haku said something about loved ones being a source of strength or something? Eh, most memories were getting hazy lately.

It took all of Naruto's willpower to move his eyes to the clock on the wall, the whitewashed face illuminated by moonlight. It was nearing four in the morning, a solid forty minutes after Naruto managed to close his eyes. There was no way he was going to sleep.

Naruto shifted to his side and thought even harder.

Is this what the Hokage feels for the whole village? It would be so hard to not start a war at every casualty… the Old Man was stronger than Naruto in many ways it seemed. Not for long. Clone training abuse be damned: Naruto was going to do his best to become invincible in the week he had.

The thought of mind-numbing training made Naruto feel better, and he slowly sat up. Looking around at his haphazardly tossed equipment, Naruto prepared to head out for the week. He grabbed a C-Rank kit, it had enough provisions for a week plus whatever weapons he'd use to train with. Then, he created a single 'Commander' shadow clone. This variant Naruto used had enough Chakra to last months on its own.

"Go back to the Namikaze house. I want fifty clones working fuuinjutsu at all times, have them dispel as soon as they finish so the rest of the clones can use the knowledge. Keep lights low and don't raise suspicion. You have five days."

The clone left without a word, and Naruto knew his orders would be carried out.

Now packed and ready to leave, Naruto headed for the door. Just before he left, however, he grabbed the notes on Hiraishin. The world was to know of his family in a month, he might as well give them a show. Let's see them take someone away from Naruto after that…

* * *

Naruto stood outside of Konoha's walls. He was also standing at the entrance to one of the deadliest places in the Fire Country: Training Ground 44. Also known as 'The Forest of Death'. It was secluded, far enough away from the village so no one could hear him, full of various beasts that would kill him as soon as look at him, and perfect in Naruto's eyes.

The security seal on the gate was meant to only open when a chunin or higher pressed his ID tag to a control panel in the booth, but Naruto knew enough now to bypass the sealing complex for twenty-five seconds. Those clones really are capable of anything.

Naruto shut the massive gate behind him and stared into the dark depths of the forest. Kurama might like this place, but Naruto still didn't want to open the link back up. The mental silence was bliss at the moment. Then, he started to run. Nowhere in particular, like the center or anything, he just ran. He ran from the pain of what he left in the village, from the memories of the Land of Hot Springs, and towards an unknown future camp where he would become as strong as possible.

* * *

Naruto ran in a random pattern until the sun started to crest. He had crossed paths with massive tigers, something that looked like a bear, and overgrown insects of various kinds. Mosquitos the size of his head followed spiders that could be ridden like a donkey.

Naruto found a small lake, a glorified pond really, and decided to make camp there. The tent he brought would never suffice in keeping him safe, so he moved to the small cliffside off to the north of the lake.

The cliff was rocky and uneven, but it was also almost completely vertical for a good twenty feet. Naruto eyed its face and thought of the jutsu in his arsenal before devising a plan of action. He would use a highly controlled Swamp of the Underworld to soften the rock into mud, and then he would use the smallest Great Breakthrough he could manage to hollow out a sort of cave. Foolproof plan.

Naruto placed his hands along the cliff face, took a deep breath, and performed the jutsu as slowly as he could. The rock in front of him began to drip and cover over his arms, but Naruto held firm. There was soon a rectangle of mud in front of Naruto, reaching halfway up the cliff and about fifteen feet end to end. Naruto could also feel that the middle part was fairly bowl-shaped and sank into the cliff another ten feet at its deepest.

Naruto pulled his now muddy hands from the dripping wall and shook what he could off of them. Then, taking in a deep breath, Naruto expelled as little of the normally violent wind chakra as he could. To his surprise, Great Breakthrough wasn't what came spewing from his lips. A much gentler, smaller whirlwind burst forth, cutting into and blowing away a good portion of the mud Naruto made.

Breakthrough? How? He hadn't done any more chakra control exercises than usual, so how did he manage to pull that off? Unfortunately, this awe was Naruto's downfall, and in his lack of concentration he expelled a larger gust, a proper Great Breakthrough, that sent mud flying everywhere while blowing the depression clean. Naruto did not remain clean. At all.

" _Well, this fucking sucks. Mud is covering literally every inch of me!"_

Naruto was almost surprised when he didn't hear a smart, biting remark. He forgot that he didn't have the link open. Oh well.

Naruto tossed the few scrolls he had into the depression and then jumped into the lake. He wasn't worried about dirtying his drinking water, he would boil it first anyway. As Naruto cleaned he created a pair of shadow clones to close up the majority of the gaping hole with a nice, thick Earth Wall.

Kaito taught him that Jutsu.

No, those thoughts aren't the kind Naruto was out here for.

Naruto left the lake and shook himself dry as he set the clothes he had dirtied in the rising sunlight to dry themselves. A nice, quick breakfast of ramen would be a good start, and then he would jump right into figuring out the leaf with his clones. That damned leaf had to be the only reason his control over wind-based jutsu was improving.

Suddenly, Naruto stumbled. A dozen clones had just agreed to dispel, but Naruto was upset at the coordinated assault on his mind. They gave him memories, knowledge. They gave him the understanding behind the concepts of next tier seals, like preservation seals used on his parents' home, and durability seals he could apply to his makeshift cave for more protection. There was also the beginnings of the concepts between space-time jutsu, but that was much more than just foggy at the moment.

Naruto eyed the ramen his previous clones had removed from storage. He wasn't really all that hungry. He could apply the durability seals to his walls and start training right away. He would protect Team 7 with his life. He would make sure they became Chunin. And in Kakashi's own words, "Kaito will be proud to have been part of Team 7."

* * *

Three days. It took Naruto and an average of fifty clones three days to discover the trick to that FUCKING LEAF. In the meantime, other sets of fifty clones had neared mastery over Pressure Damage and a handful more fuuinjutsu tricks. Naruto was getting closer to being comfortable playing around with actively studying the Hirashin, but he wanted the clones at his dad's study to continue working.

Turns out that his mastery over the leaf exercise was honestly so good that he was getting close even doing it wrong. He was only cutting from one side of the leaf. It was like a one bladed pair of shears or scissors. It was starting to work due to sheer sharpness and amount of chakra he wasted, but hot damn was it easy when he did it right. Now he had clones cutting shapes out of leaves and trying to cut through twigs for the hell of it. He knew there were more steps to mastering the wind, but he had no idea what they were.

Naruto had been stressed over the last three days. He hadn't said a single word out loud, and only a few to himself in his own head. He still kept a closed link with Kurama, only he wasn't sure why anymore. The silence was just… comforting.

Sleep was a devil to catch lately. Naruto could get a couple of hours a night if he really, really tried, but he usually just grabbed a quick nap and resumed his insane training schedule. Eating wasn't much easier. Even the instant ramen he brought along seemed bland, and he'd eat just over half at dinnertime before dumping the remnants into the fire he boiled the water over. And then more training.

Naruto didn't spend all of his personal time working with his clones. He usually set them to their tasks and then took off into the foliage for physical training. He had raised his gravity seal level again. The original one from Jiraiya was a constant 4x even when resting, and Naruto set his second one to 2x when he was physical training. It was absolutely brutal.

Naruto estimated he was a healthy hundred and twenty pounds, and that multiplied by six was a staggering seven hundred and twenty pounds. Granted, it was spread evenly over his body, and Rock Lee supposedly trained with upwards of a thousand pounds on only his extremities. Hard to believe, but Naruto wasn't too concerned with others at the moment.

The amount it slowed him down the first day actually almost got him killed at one point. Well, as close to as killed as Kurama would have allowed. Some kind of overgrown cat had ambushed Naruto from the treetops, and he only managed to move enough to avoid a lethal blow. Anyone else would have ugly scars along the majority of their torso.

At the moment, the moon was only a couple hours past its zenith. Naruto was starting to really feel the fatigue of his insomnia, and he left a hundred clones working on jutsu as he tried to sleep after forcing down what little food he could.

The _Elemental Manipulation_ scroll had a single B-Ranked jutsu per nature type for readers. The wind jutsu offered was called Wind Release: Vacuum Wave. In theory, all Naruto had to do was turn the chakra breath from Great Breakthrough into a razor-sharp cutting edge as he exhaled. Simply combine the jutsu he knew with the _proper_ technique of the leaf exercise. This likely was a great jutsu for a chunin to know if they were attempting at jonin rank.

Naruto laid down on the sleeping bag he had laid out in his cave. He didn't bother with the bed he had in the scroll, he wouldn't spend enough time in it for comfort to matter. Naruto shut his eyes, and the darkness seemed deeper than it had in days.

* * *

Naruto woke up writhing in mental agony. There was a massive barrage of information flashing behind his clenched eyes, and Naruto almost grunted in pain. Why had so many clones dispelled at once? It hurt, and he was already mentally exhausted…

Naruto picked up things in chunks. His clones had nearly mastered Pressure Damage. Vacuum Wave was good enough to use in combat, but not even close to being mastered yet. That was only a hundred clones, though. Naruto wasn't so mentally broken that a hundred clones would put him through this kind of pain, was he?

No, the painful amount came from the fuuinjutsu clones.

" _Did the Commander Clone triple the number I told him to? What the hell?"_

Naruto was close. He laid in painful darkness for a few minutes to wrap his head around things. The number was doubled, and it was another hundred memories rushing in. Still, two hundred memories shouldn't hurt this bad…

Oh. That's why numbers were doubled. The clones had come across advanced stuff that was pretty dark. A lot of confiscated work of some guy named Orochimaru. Some sick bastard who was experimenting on live subjects for a twisted image of immortality and power. The work itself was brilliant, but the purpose was disgusting.

Hold up. Orochimaru… of the _Sannin?_ Ero-sensei's Orochimaru? God, Naruto knew that guy was fucked up but this… these seals he had research on had to be some kind of crime against humanity itself. He sort of forced a piece of his soul and power into a person and… made them addicted? The sealing array was confusing, and Naruto didn't want to know more.

The other fifty clones though had delved into the kind of stuff needed to understand the Hiraishin. Forty of them poured over the space-time information and discussed its meaning while ten clones practiced forming seals on their fingertips. That part was freaking awesome, it was the kind of stuff Jiraiya could do.

Naruto peeled opened his eyes and dragged the bag outside to dry his sweat off of it. And that's when he was hit with a ton of bricks.

The sun was setting.

Naruto didn't believe his eyes. The setting sun meant it was at least six in the evening. Naruto had to have slept for close to sixteen hours. That made almost no sense. Naruto never slept that long, even before his schedule went haywire.

"And you're alive!"

Naruto spun rapidly and flung the jutsu freshest on his mind. The Vacuum Wave was sent careening into the cliff above his cave, and Naruto saw a purple blur flip over the attack. No one should be out here, would he have to fight for his life? Naruto dropped the remaining four levels of gravity and fidgeted as much as he could to loosen up.

"Hmm, not bad for a baby genin… what's a little thing like you doing out in my woods?" The voice belonged to a woman. A woman who had a near crazy, bloodthirsty look in her eyes.

"I," Naruto didn't drop his defensive stance as he coughed. He had to clear his throat after not using his voice for days upon days. "Train," the single word almost hurt coming out of his throat.

"Ha!" she laughed. Naruto noted her stance and immediately knew she was a jonin. There was no way someone who appeared ready to kill with a single strike, in any direction, at any time was anything less than a jonin. A threat.

"I thought," Naruto cleared his throat once more and felt something dislodge. He spit out to the side before continuing. "I thought I'd be alone out here."

"Ah, there's a more human voice. I take you haven't spoken in a while, huh kid?" the woman sauntered to Naruto's firepit with easy confidence.

"It's been a few days, yeah. Four, I think," Naruto dropped his arms but remained ready to fight.

"Calm your tits, fuck nugget. If I wanted to kill you you'd be dead," she started the remains of the fire with a nifty flick of her fingers, sending a lone ember onto the partially burned wood.

Naruto relaxed marginally. She was an experienced jonin, not worried in the slightest about someone below her rank. "What are _you_ doing out here?" Naruto asked.

"I've trained in this forest for more years than you've been alive, kid. This is my home away from home, so you'll have to understand why I was so surprised to find someone in my laundry room."

Naruto edged closer and took a seat next to the now blazing fire. "Do you… want something to eat?"

"Do you have any dango?"

"I have ramen and field rations."

"Oof, hard pass."

Naruto felt an eye twitch.

"So kid, what's your deal? Genin aren't allowed in this training ground. And you should be dead by now."

"The only security measure was a single seal linked to a second array that would identify ID tags. Pretty simple to just read what the signal codeword would be and input it manually." Naruto snorted as he spoke, starting to feel more at ease around the woman.

"You expect me to believe a genin is proficient in fuuinjutsu? Tell me the truth, brat," the purple-clad woman shot Naruto a sideways glance.

"I mean, I WAS raised by Jiraiya of the Sannin. Sealing is kinda his thing," Naruto shot back.

The lady looked directly at him, "Oh? That must make you Naruto then."

Naruto let his hand drift to his kunai pouch. "And how do you figure that?"

She huffed through her nose, "Don't get your panties in a twist, I like to know about my fellow 'Students of the Sannin'. You know the guy before you turned out to be a legend right?"

"Oh yeah? Then you have the advantage here, I don't know your name."

A sly smile laced with something other than humor graced her lips, "I have a few advantages over you, kid. The name's Anko."

Naruto was really starting to dislike her arrogance. Jonin or not, he could probably keep up with her. "Say, Anko. Since we're both here to train, how about a spar? A good way to wake up and all that?"

Anko looked contemplative for a second before saying, "I don't think anyone's ever asked me to touch me straight up like that before."

She stood with a suggestive smile and wink, and only then did Naruto notice her attire. Feminine… wasn't quite strong enough of a word. Provocative maybe. It must be part of her style when fighting men, trying to distract them. Ero-sensei fell for it every time, but then again he could usually take a shot or six before wisening up.

"Tell you what, I'll keep it to taijutsu so you can maybe get a workout in!" she jaunted over to the pond's bank.

Naruto smirked to himself as he followed her, and then continued past her and onto the water's surface. The sun had set behind the trees so there was no blinding reflection.

"Oh! What an impressive little genin! Showing off for me huh? Better be careful," she walked onto the water as she drew her tongue along a now present kunai, "or I might get wet."

Naruto rolled his eyes at the attempt. She wouldn't trick him with that act. He was better than his sensei in that regard.

"I'll warn you now, Anko. I've got all six of my gravity seal levels off. No holding back okay? Since you know of me you know of the fox. Anything less than a fatal wound will heal just fine." Naruto wasn't sure why, but he had no issue talking about Kurama to this woman. Oh shit, was her stupid tactic working?

"Noted. Any wounds you can give me are welcome. Now fucking start already!"

Naruto did just that. In a burst of speed, Naruto vanished. Anko's eyes widened in delight, and her right arm rose to block an incoming kick from the blond.

Naruto was surprised. That was the fastest he had ever moved without a cloak, and this woman had almost no issue tracking him. He was suspended in the air after his kick. He should have added some chakra to it so she couldn't block it, but that would have made him more detectable.

As it was, she quickly grabbed the leg closest to her, whipped Naruto through the air, and smashed her knee into his head. The blow sent him flying through the air, and he flipped mid-flight to land on his feet.

"That was actually impressive, brat! Maybe I'll have some fun too!"

"Trust me, Anko," Naruto smiled as he straightened his broken nose and felt the familiar adrenaline coursing through him, "I'm just getting started."

Naruto blurred away again and threw a chakra laced kick at Anko's hip. Somehow, she dropped to her knees and threw a spinning kick from her awkward position. Naruto deflected the kick into the air and landed one of his own to the small of her back.

Anko skipped across the water and onto the shore. She stood, smiled devilishly, and vanished from view much like Naruto had. Naruto stood ready, and then ducked on pure instinct. She had gotten behind him and thrown a fast strike at where his neck used to be. Naruto rose with a powerful jab to her ribs, but a slight turn from the woman left him open for a vicious chop to his neck. His elbow stopped the incoming blow, and Naruto wrapped both hands around her arm. He managed to land a single knee to her gut before she tossed him to the shore roughly.

Naruto felt the dirt smash into his shoulder as he tumbled, and then he saw a kick aimed at his bouncing head. Naruto pushed off the ground with a single chakra enhanced arm and rose above the kick. He spun with his momentum and landed a vicious spinning backhand down Anko's chin, splitting her lip. She laughed aloud as she licked her own blood.

Naruto stood, and felt his nose throb. He also had a few other scrapes from the short fight, but he was enjoying himself as well. They'd heal soon.

Anko looked at Naruto and again ran her tongue over her split lip. It may have been distracting if Naruto was older. Anko rolled her shoulders in a sort of a stretch, and Naruto saw something peculiar. An odd mark on her shoulder that rang a distant bell.

He had no time to think because she was on his again with insane jabs. Naruto could no longer hit her, and she seemed to almost bend where joints didn't exist to avoid his strikes. Naruto's swipes and punches came closer to landing than any of his kicks, but they still missed. It didn't help that every third of her counterstrikes landed, compounding on themselves. Naruto caught another glimpse at her shoulder, and then it hit him.

In a sudden rage, Naruto shot concentrated presence at her and surrounded her in a dozen shadow clones. She took out half of them before they pinned her to her back with naruto straddling her stomach and holding her throat down a bit forcefully.

Anko bit her bloody lip. "You might have broken the rules of taijutsu only, but you still sort of just beat a Tokubetsu Jonin known for conflict and assassination. And I'm not gonna lie, this is kinda hot," she moved her hips up and down in a crude manner to try and distract Naruto.

The blond wasn't amused. He pressed harder against her throat and every clone pulled out a kunai.

Anko narrowed her eyes. "What the fuck, Naruto?! This was a friendly spar? The hell's the matter with you?"

Naruto pulled down the shoulder of her fishnet undershirt, exposing the mark. The Curse Mark.

"This. You're marked."

Anko immediately grew defensive and hostile, "What the hell does that matter? And why the fuck do you care, brat? I was starting to like you too!"

"You never told me you were _Orochimaru's_ student!" Naruto yelled.

Anko's arms were suddenly snakes, and the clones popped in rapid succession. Naruto was kicked back with enough force to actually break ribs. She had definitely been holding back.

"Maybe once upon a time, but he doesn't give goddamn _curse marks_ to students! I'm an experiment to him, you dumb fuck!" Anko was visibly pissed. "You're lucky that I don't just kill you here, brat."

Naruto sat down in shock. "But… no one should have survived that application of the mark. The fact that you're alive is…"

"Disgusting? Traitorous? You afraid I'll sell Konoha's secrets to the bastard?"

"Amazing. I don't know how you survived… why do you still have it?" Naruto asked in a soft voice.

"It's not a gravity seal, dumbass. I can't take it on and off," she sounded offended.

"No, you can't. But you should be able to cancel the outer layer of the suppression aspect of the curse mark and reseal the inner portions into a separate container!" Naruto insisted.

"What? The hell are you talking about?" Anko asked.

"I… found his notes by accident. I only glanced at them, but from the looks of things, the first tomoe of the Heaven variant is the only defense it has. In theory, you should be able to use an evil containment seal around it, use foreign chakra to activate the seal and make the array visible, then just counter whatever number seal Orochimaru used to seal it all in with the opposite number seal. Once it's disrupted, you would be able to unseal the one he used since it wouldn't access to the rest of the seal. Then it would just be whatever seal you used to cancel his out while holding back the other tomoe aspects."

"I understood like, half of that. Part of me thinks I gave you a concussion and you're spewing a bunch of shit. And if was as easy as you say, Jiraiya would have done it when he looked at it years ago."

"My sensei didn't have Orochimaru's notes."

Anko walked over to the sitting Naruto slowly. "Naruto, if you can get this thing off of me I would literally fuck you. The good kind. Please, don't just be getting my hopes up."

Naruto just summoned a lone clone and said, "Anko you really don't have to do that… dispel so the rest know to focus entirely on Orochimaru's shit. They have until sunup to start dispelling in groups of five."

"So you can do it?" she sounded almost hysterical in this farfetched hope.

"Tonight? No. Tomorrow? Possibly. It depends on what my clones find."

Anko sat near Naruto, not looking at him. "Why are you helping me? You don't know me. You don't even know the rumors about me, or else you would never have spoken to me earlier."

Naruto laughed lightly. "Anko, I'd be the world's biggest hypocrite if I made judgments based on rumors. I already told you about the Kyuubi."

The two spent a good hour next to the fire simply talking about the cruelty that was Konoha. At least Naruto was gone for a good portion of his life. Anko was actually quite vulgar in her usual speech, and it wasn't just a battle tactic like Naruto first thought. At first, she seemed callous, but once she connected with Naruto a bit he saw why she would harden herself to the village's hatred. She told Naruto of her suffering under Orochimaru and the hatred his mark brought her. In return, Naruto told her about how the mark the Kyuubi had on him affected his treatment, but also the relationship he had with Kurama. Maybe it was time to talk to him again. Why was the link closed exactly?

"Wait for a second," Naruto stopped their conversation to cradle his still broken nose.

"Broken bones usually hurt, brat. Learn to suck it up."

"It's not that, it should have healed by now. I'll just go into a one-tailed cloak real quick, so don't freak out okay?"

"Why would you do that exactly?" Anko asked suspiciously as she scooted backward.

"In my last mission, I pulled a kunai out of my gut. In Kurama's cloak it was healed before I returned it to the guy's forehead."

"How attractive," Anko rolled her eyes, not quite believing him.

Naruto opened the link and simultaneously activated the one-tailed cloak. Naruto did feel his wounds heal rapidly, and Anko could be heard gasping. All of his bruises and cuts vanished, and his nose straightened the rest of the way before getting its color back.

And then Naruto blacked out to the sound of Kurama yelling at him.

* * *

Naruto sat up rapidly, back in the sewer system that was his own mind. Except, it hadn't been this… dilapidated in a few years. Usually, it's warmer and better lit. With way less water.

" **What kind of absolute idiot are you?"** Ope, Kurama wasn't a happy camper.

"Whattya mean?" Naruto asked back, meeting the fox's stare.

" **You haven't eaten anything in over twenty-four hours. You haven't had a real meal in over a week. You haven't slept more than two hours up until last night when I stopped supplying you for twelve hours. ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL YOURSELF."**

Naruto sat in stunned silence. It actually… sounded pretty bad when it was put that way.

" **Ever since you cut the link I've been pumping chakra through almost every one of your vital systems to keep your fucking body operating. You can't live off of pure chakra like this, Naruto! I've been exhausted staying awake long enough to keep you from collapsing on yourself. Why did you cut the link?"** the angry Biju demanded.

"I just wanted some time to myself is all!" Naruto insisted.

" **Bullshit! You KNOW that when you use my chakra that I feel your emotions as my own. Don't fucking lie to me. You've been living off of my chakra for a week. Now, why did you cut the link."**

Naruto was fed up with the interrogation. "If you already know then why are you asking me?"

" **Because I'm not the only one you're lying to. You have to face the truth in order to deal with your own bullshit, kit."**

Naruto had no response for that.

" **You're depressed as shit. I know it, you know it. You're trying to distract yourself from your grief by drowning in training. Better than sake, but still fucking stupid."**

Naruto turned his head in shame.

" **This new Anko girl makes you feel the most comfortable you have since you lost Kaito. She makes you feel useful. Like you can make a difference. And she understands your pain. I know I'm not wrong. Fucking say something!"** the last bit was a harsh growl.

"What do you want me to say?!" Naruto screamed back. "I'm trying my best to get stronger to prevent this kind of thing, okay? Sure, I forgot to eat a few times, and I don't sleep very well anymore, so what? I'm alive, and I'll be fine!"

Kurama shook his head sadly. " **Kit, for your own good, get yourself some help. Start with Kakashi. And just so you know the strain you're putting your body through, I'm cutting you off of my chakra unless you're actually dying. And keep the fucking link open."**

* * *

Before Naruto could retort he felt himself spinning, and he was back by his pond. His view was partially blue sky and partially Anko's worried face. And holy shit was he tired.

"You dead?" Anko's voice hit his ears like a jackhammer. Add his headache to the list of problems.

"Hng, I just kinda passed out I think. Kurama gave me a bit of a talking to."

" **More like I chewed your ass out!"** the comment was ignored.

"What the hell's the matter with you then?"

Naruto sat up shakily before saying, "Good question… I guess since I haven't really eaten or had any sleep for the last week I've been living off of the Kyuubi's chakra. He's pissed at me and cut me off."

Anko let out a laugh. "You're suffering withdrawals? Oh, that's pretty rich! I guess I should offer to help since you're planning to get rid of this fucking seal huh?"

Naruto leat his body flop back to the ground. "Just, can you help me get to Kakashi?"

* * *

Naruto laid face down on his couch waiting for Anko to bring his uncle over. He was a tad bit reluctant to show the crazy woman where he lived, but it was something he had to do. Kurama was a bit nicer than he was earlier in the day, but he was still clearly upset with Naruto.

The door opened, and Naruto picked up his head to see who was walking in. "I left him half dead on the couch."

Anko walked in first, thankfully followed by Kakashi. And then… Jiraiya. Uh oh. Naruto dropped his head once more and prepared for another tongue-lashing.

" **You deserve it though."**

" _Thank you for your never-ending support, dearest friend."_

Naruto heard Kakashi speak up, "Well, Naruto. Care to explain how you came to know Konoha's resident snake mistress?" and did Anko growl after that?

Naruto groaned as he rolled over onto his back, "She ran into me while I was training."

Jiraiya spoke next, "I only remember her training in one place though. Where would you have happened to be, Naruto?"

Ah. "Just one of the training grounds… you know. 44 maybe?"

Kakashi rubbed his face with both hands, Jiraiya took a seat in his chair to hang his head, and Anko merely smiled. Naruto knew he was caught.

"And how," Jiraiya looked at him then, "did you manage to get into the Forest of Death?"

"I mean, it was only guarded by seals," Naruto tried his best to look innocent.

Kakashi made a _pfft_ sound as he brought in a pair of dining chairs for Anko and himself. "You broke into a chunin minimum training ground by bypassing security seals?"

"I was under the impression he was learning seals from the old toad," Anko added helpfully.

"I taught him storage seals, yes. Naruto, how did you manage to bypass security seals?" Jiraiya asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Uh, how do I put this delicately…" Naruto glanced at Kakashi, who's visible eye widened in realization. "I guess I _came into_ a supply of fuuinjutsu scrolls meant for me. And I may have used a few hundred clones to go over them a few times."

Jiraiya also shot a glance at Kakashi, who just happened to be engrossed in a book written by the sannin. "Naruto, I told you before that abusing your clones like that will hurt you in the long run. Especially with information based memories like learning fuuinjutsu. Do you remember the drawbacks?"

Naruto knew that this was one of Jiraiya's 'self-lecture' style punishments. "Extreme mental fatigue, inability to maintain a sleep schedule, loss of focus, and possible memory loss."

Jiraiya nodded, "And have you been going through any of these?"

"I mean, maybe a bit yeah."

"Didn't you tell me you haven't eaten or slept in a week?" Anko asked suddenly. Naruto made sure to give her a look that said ' _Not helping'_.

Kakashi put his book down. "That started even before I showed you those scrolls, Naruto. I know those are bad signs of the way you're dealing with the death of a teammate. Why didn't you tell me?"

" **Do tell."**

" _Hey, I'm already getting interviewed here!"_

"Naruto, no one expects you to be fine after losing someone like that, but you have to get through it in healthier ways," Jiraiya said softly.

Anko's face softened, if only for a moment, after hearing that. "So he's the type to kill himself with training instead of alcohol? If you ask me it could be worse."

Kakashi shot her an annoyed look, "Except Naruto actually IS capable of killing himself with training."

"Kakashi, if what you told me yesterday is true you may have to give your team another week or two off. Get them some real help dealing with their depression."

Naruto cringed at that word.

"Naruto, do you think your teamwork with Sasuke and Sakura is good enough to put off training for a bit?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto nodded dejectedly.

"I'll help Naruto myself. I'll take him for a week, maybe two. I suggest you talk Sakura's parents into taking her to see a professional, and either talking to Sasuke yourself or sending him to someone as well."

Anko cleared her throat to get everyone's attention. "I just want to point out that Naruto promised to remove my curse mark."

Naruto smiled sheepishly when Jiraiya gave him _the look_. "That's something else I'll talk to him about then."

"But he can do it right?" Anko's voice rose a bit in concern.

"He may just be able to, especially since he went against my wishes to learn the way he did. I gotta fix him first."


	17. Chapter 17

Naruto trudged along behind Jiraiya, his pace slower than it usually was. He traveled with only the first gravity seal activated, set to its maximum 4x. The two shinobi had traveled for a full day, speeding through the trees at a speed that left them hundreds of miles south of the village. Soon enough, Jiraiya came to a cliffside and halted their progress, the setting sun painting the waves off to their left. The white-haired sannin sat down, faced the crashing waves far below, and motioned for Naruto to do the same.

"Well, kid, it seems like we both have a lot to talk about," Jiraiya started after they had both spent a minute admiring the landscape.

"Any chance I could get you to go first?" Naruto asked hopefully. While Jiraiya snorted in amusement, Naruto asked Kurama if it was okay to temporarily shut off their link. He agreed, but Naruto had to promise to reopen it soon.

"Almost none at all, actually. I know it's about time you spilled your guts, Naruto. I've lost people before, people I could call family. You have to get through your feelings, as much as we men hate talking about them," Jiraiya almost grimaced when he finished his statement.

Naruto took a minute to form the thoughts in his head. "It's just, I thought I was good enough to save everyone, you know?"

A heavy hand clapped his shoulder, "Naruto, if strength was all it took to save those you cared about, believe me when I say you're parents would still be here. If not for their strength, then for mine and my sensei's."

Naruto hung his head as he continued, "Then what's the point of getting stronger, of becoming Hokage, if I can't protect the people who trust in me? The people I promise to protect?"

"These things will always happen, you can't change that. But, there are times when you _can_ prevent things, and those are the times you have to be thankful for your strength. Like the times you've saved the very people you've lost."

"That doesn't make me feel much better…"

"Look at it this way. If you hadn't been strong in Wave, we may have lost Kaito earlier. You may have lost everyone on Team 7, but it was YOUR strength that saved them. The civilians you saved on your very first C-Ranked mission were saved because you had trained your ass off and became strong."

"Then why do I still feel like I'm not good enough?" Naruto asked harshly.

"Because in our eyes we are never good enough," Jiraiya said sadly. "For all my strength, I couldn't save my own teammate from his own darkness. I couldn't save my other teammate from the pain of losing the people she loved. And I wasn't there to save your father, the last of my first and only team of genin."

Naruto looked up at his somber sensei as the sannin continued, "Kakashi is an amazing shinobi and always has been, but he still feels the pain of failing to save his own team... and now likely his student. Maito Guy even went through a brief period where he felt guilty for the very mission you saved your first civilian lives. He thought that his own ineptitude at getting caught in a surprise attack put you and his team in unnecessary danger."

Naruto was beginning to see the pattern and was almost able to come to terms with things.

"Gai is one of the strongest shinobi in Konoha, there is no disputing that. Even he was caught off guard and almost got his team killed. All the strength in the world won't save you when life decides to go right for the other person.."

"This pep talk isn't very peppy," Naruto muttered, slightly miffed at having his views discredited so quickly.

"Real life isn't peppy, kid. It doesn't matter what your profession is; you thank Kami for what you've got and you do your best with it, and then you take the negatives with a stiff upper lip and the grit to make next time go better."

"You know, I hate times like these when you remind me that you're actually a sage," Naruto sighed and flopped onto his back.

"Eh, the requirement was in the terms and conditions, I didn't necessarily _mean_ to sign up for it this part," Jiraiya joked and laid down next to his student. "Feeling any better yet?"

Naruto only sighed again as he genuinely felt some weight lift from his shoulders. "I'm getting there, I really am. Thank you, sensei."

"Part of my job, kid. Just don't get too used to it and learn to deal with your own funks every now and again. Now, the last part of my famous therapy is a nice, long soak in a hot spring. Preferably with beautiful women in close proximity."

Naruto rolled his eyes, "THERE'S the sensei I know and love."

Jiraiya laughed and dropped a heavy hand on his apprentice's chest, eliciting a deep grunt. "I think you're about old enough for the lessons I never want your mother finding out about anyways! Kid, you are in for a whole new kind of learning, and the ladies in your life will love me for it."

" _Oh Kami what have I gotten myself into."_

* * *

****Team 7 Team Therapy coming up! For those of you** _ **not**_ **interested, I'll add another note at the end of the scene.*****

Kakashi sat in his apartment, in the only real 'comfortable' chair he owned. On the couch was his two remaining original genin, huddled close for the strength they could offer each other. Sakura had refused to talk to anyone but Kakashi and demanded that Sasuke do the same. Kakashi didn't have too much of an issue with it, but convincing Sasuke was where the trouble was. The broody Uchiha was more than happy to suffer in silence.

"Well, my cute little genin, I don't know why you insisted I be the one to play therapist but here I am," Kakashi started them off with a sad eye-smile.

"To be fair, I didn't," Sasuke grunted. It was honestly disheartening to see him regress back into his old habits. Back before he bonded with Kaito and Sakura.

"Because you need to talk as much as we do and you wouldn't do it otherwise," Sakura said as she scooted herself closer to Sasuke to nudge him with an elbow.

"Okay Sakura, since it was your idea, how about you go first?" Kakashi asked gently.

Sakura thought for a second, and then brightened a bit, "Actually sensei, how about we do it like we did team introductions on that first day? Why don't you show us how it's done?"

Kakashi smiled warmly at the fond memory, although the kids could only see his eye do so. It would be nice to do that day over again, be a bit more forthcoming with the information he held back when they all met. "Okay. My name is Kakashi Hatake. Recently, I have lost someone very close to me, someone I felt like was part of my family. I lost everyone I considered family when I was younger, and the genin team I picked up really helped to fill a hole in me I tried to hide."

Sasuke had looked up from his gloomy position, and Sakura's smile softened as her sensei spoke.

"I would do anything for those kids, and the fact that I lost one, right in front of me, hurts me more than anything has since the last time I lost a member of my team. Now, I only hope that those who remain with me stay... and that we become closer together in time. I will remember my fallen comrade, but I will also do my best to honor him by not dwelling on his death."

Sakura was going to begin speaking, but there was a certain… tone within the silence that demanded the three members of Team 7 take a moment of silence in honor of the order they had introduced themselves. At this point, nearly six months ago, Kaito had been the first to nervously introduce himself to a mysterious Kakashi.

Before Sakura could speak up, Sasuke did so and surprised the other two members of his team.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I was a happy child and held one man in higher regard than even the Hokage. That man was my brother. One day, the brother I loved above all else betrayed my clan and… murdered everyone. I swore vengeance upon him, and I dedicated the rest of my life to become strong enough to return honor to the Uchiha. I was never happy after that, and I didn't allow myself to forge new bonds."

Sasuke looked sadly at Sakura. "Then I was placed on a team of peers that I thought for sure would only hold me back from my ultimate goal, and resented them for a time for filling the spot of the peer who was stronger than me," Naruto's name wasn't said aloud, but it was a known implication. "I… did my best to avoid my team. At one point, the person who I originally wanted to be partnered with showed me the error in my decision, and I stopped avoiding my team."

Sakura grimaced at the memory of her own evaluation, but it did encourage her to pick up new skills that had saved both Sasuke and Kaito on several occasions.

"My team became my only real tie to life. They gave me a reason to live outside of killing the remnants of my old family and forcibly showed me that there is more to life than strength. And once one of my teammates stopped pestering me and focused on herself, the other showed me his scars that matched my own. I ended up starting to care about them as much as I ever did my brother."

Sasuke took a breath.

"And I decided that staying with and protecting my new family was more important than avenging my old one."

Kakashi's eye widened, and Sakura almost released an audible gasp. Sasuke had a lot more talk about than just Kaito... this was also his time to get his feeling about the massacre off of his chest.

"When I lost one of the people worth more than my own life to me, I was wrecked. Broken. All I can hope for now is… for those I care for that are left fix me again."

Sakura and Kakashi sat stupified, amazed by not only the sheer amount of words that tumbled from the team's quietest member but the sheer amount of emotion they conveyed. Sasuke must have been thinking about these things for such a long time…

"Sasuke… when did you make that decision? We all promised to help you avenge your clan, didn't you want that above everything else?" Sakura asked as she laid her head on the Uchiha's shoulder. Sasuke almost stiffened, but she had done such things enough in the past that he almost welcomed the touch.

"When… when Kaito died… my eyes did more than just release tears," Sasuke looked at Kakashi and activated his Sharingan. And then they shifted. Swirled, mixed, or blurred together until a new pattern emerged.

Kakashi inhaled sharply and whispered, " _Mangekyo…"_

Sakura was confused, but Sasuke explained, "I read about this evolution of my eyes in my clan's compound. They only appear when someone with a fully matured Sharingan witnesses the death or loss of someone they hold close to them. Usually, it came about by brothers killing brothers, or other horrible methods, so most records of the eyes were erased."

Both Sakura and Kakashi knew then how much Kaito had really meant to Sasuke. By extension, what they themselves meant to the orphaned Uchiha.

"My brother told me to grow with my hatred to achieve the same eyes he had used to kill our family. But I didn't get them through hate. I got them because my team made me remember how to love."

Sasuke then deactivated his eyes, first to the regular Sharingan and then to their normal, inky black color. Sasuke sat back, obviously finished talking and looking drained from being so open, so verbal, for so long.

Sakura didn't say anything at first. She merely wiped her eyes and wrapped her teammate in a hug. Kakashi grasped his upper arm, knowing that one hug would be enough but still wanting to show his support.

"My turn, I guess," Sakura said as she pulled back. "My name is Sakura Haruno. I don't come from an extraordinary family. I don't have anything in my past that truly defines me, and I started out on Team 7 without the slightest clue on what to do with my life."

Kakashi resettled into his seat as Sasuke turned to face her more directly.

"I clung to a boy in the Academy and prayed that my grades alone would bring me wherever I needed to be. I clung to this boy... not simply because he was attractive, or mysterious, but because he was everything I wasn't."

Sakura didn't meet Sasuke's gaze.

"He was famous really, and that would be enough for any girl to want him. I forgot about that part though, almost as soon as I found out what his name represented," Sakura said this, and Sasuke's eyes gaped in shock this time. Everyone _only_ liked him because of his name before Team 7. He just didn't know it went back further than that.

"That boy had goals. He had a drive, but no one knew why. He had a future in mind, and he was so sure of the fact that he would get there that I hoped he might bring me along. I didn't care about the fact that I seemed to annoy him, and I kept stupidly trying to win him over using the same methods everyone else did. But then… we got assigned to the same team. I learned about him, and through our other teammate and a crazy, strong outside force… I learned about myself too. I stopped wanting to follow that person all the time and I wanted to walk my own way. And then I realized that I had people that were willing to help me find that way, and I was so happy," Sakura almost teared up here.

"There were people I cared about that cared about me too, and one of them did so for so long, even before I acknowledged him as a real person. He saved my life more times than I can remember, and I started our friendship by being horrible to him. But he was always my biggest supporter. If I could go back, I would change many things, but the way I acted would be the first. I can only hope now that I remember what my biggest supporter taught me and accept everyone who only wishes to help and be close to me... because he definitely was."

Kakashi got up to hug her, but he was taken aback when Sasuke beat him to it. Sakura buried her head into the boy's neck, and Kakashi smiled. The jonin thought back and wished his own team had such a progression, but he was happy that he could at least see others achieve the relationships he missed the opportunity for. Kakashi joined in the hug.

"Well, my cute little genin," his voice was admittedly a bit raspier than he was expecting, "I think we're going to be just fine."

"And when Naruto comes home," Sasuke started.

"He will be too," was Sakura's finish.

****Okay that's it****

* * *

_1 week later, with Naruto and Jiraiya on the walk back to the village_

"So, now that your head is mostly cleared up, there are a few things we need to discuss," Jiraiya said as the duo walked confidently down the beaten path. They were in no real hurry to get back to Konoha, but Naruto knew he had to start team training before long.

"It's not another lecture on the body types and their various advantages of women is it?" Naruto whined.

" **I mean, I kinda liked that one. Very informative."**

" _You're just as bad as Ero-sensei!"_

"No," Jiraiya gave a tight smile, "it concerns the safety of both you and the village. I've already told the Hokage, but you were too fucked up to waste the words on."

" **Oh, actual serious things. Boring."**

"What is it, Sensei?" Naruto asked, completely ignoring the literal voice in his head.

"There's no real way to put this _lightly_ … so uh, ha. Turns out you've got an organization of about a dozen S-Ranked Missing-nin after you and Kurama. No big deal right?" Jiraiya's wide smile was usually reserved for when there was sake. Or women. Actually, it was a combination of both.

"Oh, well that makes me feel way better about trying to become a chunin. Yup, I'm sure that title will keep them at bay!" Naruto laughed hysterically as he ran his hands through his hair, close to yelling in frustration.

" **I mean on one hand... if we don't die that could be a shitload of fun. Just saying."**

" _I'm so happy we made up. How I missed your sarcastic and almost always useless comments!"_

" **It is GOOD to be back."**

"I take it you're hashing things out with Kurama. In fact, You two will probably have to complete your training sooner than you'd like."

" **I don't think he's aware of how this works."**

"We don't think you know how this works," Naruto repeated aloud.

"I'm assuming it's about your chakra coils not being big or strong enough to handle the output of the full nine tails?" Jiraiya shot out his guess.

" **Okay, he pretty much knows exactly how this works."**

"You're close. Kinda. I'll give you that one," Naruto tried to play it off, but the grin his sensei was wearing told him he failed.

"Don't worry, the training the toads and I have planned for you will eliminate that issue."

Naruto looked sharply at the perverted old man. "What? How?"

"Let's just say that it involves making your body capable of withstanding almost an endless supply of foreign chakra, and even without Kurama's help the boost will put you above most Kages."

" **Oh, that! That will definitely work, that wily old bastard…"**

" _What? What's he talking about?"_

" **He wants to keep it a secret so I will."**

" _There are times I really hate you."_

"Oh one other thing," Jiraiya interrupted the internal argument, "There's a good chance that the group that's after you, the Akatsuki, are manipulating a few minor countries and are gearing up for war."

" **His news brings us SO much opportunity."**

"Kurama and I both agree that you are horrible at giving us the news. It just gets worse and worse."

"He didn't say that."

" **I didn't say that, kit."**

"Yeah," Naruto pouted, "well he _meant_ it."

* * *

Naruto stood on the flat ground of Training Field 7 alongside his new team. The day before, when he had returned, the four members of Team 7 had gone out to Ramen to discuss the final kinks in their budding friendships. Naruto had eventually come to terms that no one blamed him and that they still trusted him with their lives. He also ate upwards of thirty bowls of the noodles, pleasing the owners and his longtime friends greatly.

Today, they could work on their teamwork and getting to know the feel of one another's fighting style. The discussion they had was very enlightening. Naruto found out that Sasuke ended up getting some kind of super eyes, and Sakura had developed her medical jutsu to the point of nearly perfecting chakra scalpels. She could now do significant damage if separated from the team's heavy hitters, and both Sasuke and Naruto felt better about leaving her alone on the battlefield.

Also, with Sasuke's new peepers, genjutsu was all but ineffective on him unless cast at a level greater than he was capable of, which even Kurenai apparently struggled with. And with Naruto's immunity due to Kurama's constant assistance…

Battleplan Alpha went as follows: Sakura cast a wide-scale genjutsu since no one on her team would be affected by it. In the confusion, Sasuke and Naruto kick as much ass as possible.

I was also discovered that Sasuke could easily see Naruto at his top, unweighted speed. He wasn't necessarily able to do anything about it, but the mere fact that he could see him was a start. Sasuke also reported having significant new visual prowess that included some kind of inextinguishable black flames and a giant skeleton robot thing that could both fuck up and withstand just about anything. Stupid, overpowered eye.

To be fair, Sasuke said he would refrain from using it since the tome he read mentions that it would eventually take his sight unless he had a brother with matching eyes to kill and replace his own with. Maybe one day, if all goes well.

ALSO to be fair, Naruto was secretly about three days away from getting a basic Hiraishin down. He almost had the sealing array memorized and understood, and after that simply came the process of learning to feel the extent of their chakra signatures. His training in Presence and distance shadow clones would definitely help with that.

Naruto had also agreed to place gravity seals on his teammates. Was it recommended? No, not since they couldn't adjust it themselves. But since he would only activate them during team training it should be fin. Also, it would help Sasuke catch up to his eyes faster.

Kakashi promised to show Sasuke and Sakura a pair of moves that would really help round them out. Naruto knew that anyone they came up against in the exams was going to have extremely sore rear ends from, in the words of Kurama, the unwilling and unnecessarily drawn out ass-fucking of a lifetime. 

* * *

Naruto walked through the streets of Konoha in a blissful haze. He was full of ramen, he had an amazing team, and he was going to be a chunin soon. As long as he looked over the fact that he was hunted by some of the strongest people in the world life was A-OK.

"Naruto!" Naruto knew that voice. Naruto turned and smiled at the direction Ino shouted from, and he was shocked to see the rest of Team 10 running behind her. Even Shikamaru. Running. Who woulda thunk it?

"Ino, Shika, Choji! Hi guys!" Naruto waved, still smiling.

Ino crashed into him, her forehead smashing into his sternum and surprising the hell out of him. "You don't have to pretend, Naruto. It's okay to hurt, and we're here for you."

Shikamaru and Choji both rested an awkward hand on one of Naruto' s shoulders, not wanting to hug him like their female teammate but still wanting to show solidarity. "We're here, man. If you ever need anything, you just say the word," Choji assured while Shikamaru nodded along.

"Um, thanks guys, really it means a lot," Naruto told them. And it did, especially since Naruto wanted to be a better friend to people. He hugged Ino back, and he felt her relax a bit. "But I'm okay, really. I'm sad, yeah, but Ero-sensei straightened me out."

Ino didn't let go but instead held him tighter. "It just isn't fair to you, Naruto. First, you get the love of your life taken from you, and then a teammate! Life just seems to hate you."

That was the point Shikamaru and Choji took a step back. Naruto didn't blame them.

" **Naruto I think she likes you! You had better reassure her and tell her you aren't broken-hearted."**

" _Good idea!"_ Naruto agreed quickly.

"Actually, Ino, I had already moved on from Hinata by the time… you know. I'm taking everything one step at a time, and I promise I'm okay."

"So… you're on the market?" Ino asked slyly.

" _Fuck wait—"_

" **Bahaha! Oh, KAMI that's golden. I can't believe how good you are at digging these holes for yourself!"**

"Actually, Naruto," Shikamaru spoke up, "Hinata had a message for you if we saw you before she did. She said to tell you exactly, 'Father said 'It's finally time' and she was removed from the clan and put under her sensei's care.' I'm really sorry you had to hear about it from me, but she insisted that you know immediately."

" _KAMI FUCK ME!"_

" **Kit I really don't know how you do this. I mean, You can't write this shit! This is like, storybook level fuck-uppery!"**

"I can't believe her own father would do that to her… just because her little sister is stronger than her! It's horrible!" Ino complained from Naruto's arms. Which he had to fix, immediately. With his luck, Hinata could come by any seco—

"Naruto!"

Naruto turned in relief to see Asuma and NOT Hinata. He quickly removed himself from Ino.

"Hello, Asuma-sensei!" Naruto called back happily.

"Did you get Hinata's message?" the smoker asked. "Kurenai was insistent that you got it quickly."

"Yeah, and I should probably clear things up before there's confusion, Naruto stated, thinking of only Ino. Kurama chuckled in his head. "See, I was supposed to stay away from her until her father managed to get her away from the clan Elders, and now that they have no say in her life I can date her," he said all in one breath.

The three males of team 10 looked mortified, and Naruto saw why as soon as he glanced at Ino. She was smiling, but it didn't go past her lips. Her eyes held no emotion; just bright blue, blank slates.

"Well, I really do wish you luck with that! In fact, I think I have to go tend flowers now. Goodbye, Naruto. Goodbye, teammates," and she walked away stiffly.

"Dude," Choji said after she was out of sight. "That could have went a lot better for you. And for Ino. And by extension us."

"She's going to be so troublesome to deal with now…" Shikamaru droned in his usual uninterested voice.

"I suggest you find Hinata," Asuma said.

" **Run before she comes back."**

* * *

Naruto sent one final wave of clones to study the scrolls at his father's house as he looked for Hinata. He needed to finalize his understanding of the curse seal on Anko, the Caged Bird seal (at least the possible functions for when he gets a good look at the seal itself) and the Hirashin.

Naruto went to the training ground that he gave them their evaluations on. Low and behold, there they were. And there she was, in all her somewhat shy, bulky coat beauty. Naruto smiled as he watched her, but soon enough Kurenai saw him and smiled. She was definitely in on the ruse, especially since she was Hinata's new guardian.

"Naruto, I believe you have some important business to discuss with one of my students. Luckily we were just finishing up," Kurenai told him right before she dismissed her team for the day. Naruto didn't really think they were close to being done, but he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

He said nothing the girl next to him as they walked. The silence was a comfortable one, but Naruto broke it nonetheless.

"Finally time, huh?" he asked simply.

"It took too long, in my opinion," was the soft yet sure answer. Naruto had to smile at her response.

They took a seat on a bench that happened to be on the path they had chosen, and Naruto made the first bold move by draping an arm over her shoulder. Hinata smiled and leaned into him, the expected blush at a normal level and nowhere near the capacity to make her pass out.

"I've dreamt of this you know?" she asked him.

"Am I allowed to ask why? Like, why me specifically?" Naruto asked her back.

The beautiful girl under his tentative arm only giggled. "Do you want the long version or the short version?" the question came as a civilian strolled by, paying neither of them a glance.

"Let's save the long version for when we have a bit more privacy," Naruto suggested with an easy smile. Maybe those bullshit lessons Jiraiya gave him would be useful after all. He felt much more comfortable around her than he thought he would.

"In that case, because you were strong before you ever knew what strength was."

Naruto said nothing, but he instead looked at Hinata carefully.

"I mean, when we were little, whenever I saw you, you were happy. It didn't matter if you were alone or not, because you were all you needed. I wanted that. As I grew older I realized that I wanted to feel needed too, and all I could think about was you… I know it sounds stupid," and the blush that Naruto had come to adore was back in full force.

"I could never think anything about you was anything short of amazing," Naruto whispered in her ear as he nuzzled his nose against her temple. Where the hell did that come from? Oh well, judging by the way she melted into him it worked great.

"I… just always dreamt of you only ever needing me as much as you've only ever needed yourself. I loved how independent you seemed. And I wanted that, but I wanted that with you. If that makes any sense at all."

Naruto chuckled, and he knew she would feel it through her coat. "You never have to worry about me caring if you make sense or not. Don't you realize who you're sitting with right now?"

The two laughed and continued to talk until the sun finally sank beneath the horizon. 

* * *

Naruto sat alone on the park bench, he hadn't moved since Hinata had left. He was idly twirling a kunai between his fingers in one hand and splitting leaves with the other.

" **I never thought I'd say this without sarcasm, but that was pretty smooth,"** Kurama interrupted his peace and quiet.

" _Hey! I like to think I am a VERY smooth guy. I just choose to hide it most of the time."_

" **Yup, you tell yourself whatever you have to so you can sleep at night, Kit."**

Naruto snorted and dropped his current leaf shape. It ended up being a tear-drop shape with a lopsided square in it. Naruto then looked at the Kunai in his right hand and shrugged before trying to split that too. Just for shits and giggles of course.

To his surprise, instead of splitting, the chakra seemed to coat the blade. Naruto dropped it in surprise, and the kunai sunk in up to the ring through the dirt and rock. That… could be useful. Suddenly, Naruto had an epiphany.

Naruto pulled his battle gloves out of his pocket and slipped them on. He eyed the metal studs on the knuckles, focused his wind chakra to them, and saw them glow a light blue. Naruto then dragged his fist lightly across the ground and noticed that the cuts were clean and crisp. Yup. Cuts.

Taking things a step further, he applied the shape manipulation of the degree used in a Rasengan and… The chakra extended from his knuckle studs… in blue bastardized versions of his claws while in Kurama's cloak.

" _Are you fucking me right now?"_

" **No, Kami no. And never ask me to alright? But you did just stumble on perhaps the most useful wind chakra weapon for your taijutsu style. You and your blind luck, so cute."**

" _I don't need the sass, okay?"_ Naruto snapped back as he experimented with the new claws. They would take a bit of practice to hold indefinitely, but holy shit were they cool. The metal in the gloves was what drove up their price if Naruto remembered correctly, which means that it's especially chakra conductive. Today is a good day. 

* * *

_In an unknown place with an unknown person speaking to yet another unknown person_

"What is the state of the current plan?"

"Still nearly flawless. Yagura will convince the 'Otogkage' to plan an invasion of Konoha. I am certain That Iwa and Kumo will attend in order to have an inconspicuous meeting with the Hokage about recent attacks, and the plants from Iwa are set to turn sides and aid the invasion. All signs point to an imminent war, and then all we will have to do is wait a while, and then stage as any side we wish to with the ability of Zetsu. Capturing the Jinchuriki will be much easier during wartime, and everyone will only blame each other."

"So the plan hinges on Suna's willingness to turn on its ally? You must have a backup plan. I know you better than that."

"I don't need one. The Otokage will ensure success. He isn't aware that his 'business partner' Yagura is under my influence."

"The plan is acceptable at best. Far from perfect or foolproof though, so keep a close eye on all the proceedings."

"Understood."

* * *

A great flow of blood is coming.

I will not call it War.

War implies that two sides fight for a contested goal.

What is it called when it's one side? One body?

The shinobi will tear themselves apart, the blood of their own will run.

And it will be by their hands.

When one body only fights itself, only kills itself,

That is suicide. And an absolute victory to he who remains.


	18. Chapter 18

Naruto kneeled on the hard ground, flowers in his hands and his heart in his throat. He was in the center of the Uzumaki memorial compound, kneeling in the cemetery in front of a pair of graves. His mother was publically buried here, but most people didn't know that his father was also. There was another grave marker in the public cemetery for Minato Namikaze, but the man was buried next to his wife.

"Hi mom, hi dad," Naruto finally managed to croak out. Then he smiled, "Sorry it took me so long to get here, I've been a little shocked about everything you know?"

Naruto remained silent then, trying to imagine how his parents may have sounded.

"I just wanted to let you guys know… I'm good. I'm doing okay, and Jiraiya-sensei did a good job raising me. I _have_ started calling him Ero-sensei though, and I'm sure you both know why," Naruto wished he knew what their laughs sounded like. He liked to imagine that they would have when they heard that bit.

"So, I'm pretty strong now," Naruto sounded hopeful as he said so. "And, I plan on taking the Chunin exams next week, even though I've only been a ninja for half a year. Everyone says that you guys would be proud of me, and I'm sure they're right… but I still wish I could hear it from you ya know?" Naruto chuckled and scratched the back of his head in slight embarrassment.

"So, uh, less than good news, I lost a teammate a while ago. It was… hard. I spent a good amount of time grieving, of course, but apparently, for a week I took it too hard and got pretty depressed. I spent a good week killing myself with training… but hey! I got way stronger because of it! What doesn't kill you right?"

Based on what Naruto had seen other girls do, he could almost see his mom smacking the back of his head... before hopefully hugging him or something.

"Mom, I figured you'd want to hear about this the most, I think I have a girlfriend."

A beat of silence passed.

"I know, I know. Who would have guessed it and all that? But the crazy thing is, one of my other friends like me like that too, and she wasn't too happy for a while. I think it's okay now because her team is inviting out to eat again, but I still don't like upsetting my friends."

"Her name is Hinata, by the way. Not the one who I upset, but my I think girlfriend. She's technically a Hyuuga and is really pretty, but her dad fake kicked her out of the clan so we could date. She actually got kicked out, but she secretly wanted to leave anyway is what I mean. I'm working on studying up on her caged bird seal." Naruto decided to switch topics.

"Also, dad… I learned your Hiraishin," Naruto's smile was wide as he looked at the simple grave marker. "It's not as good as yours was yet, but I'm getting there… I wish you guys could have seen me training with it."

* * *

_Naruto tossed the three-pronged kunai he had commissioned and watched it sail. The elongated handle held the completed, personalized Hirahin array, and Naruto felt its tug on his consciousness. Naruto channeled chakra towards the tug, and then he felt like he was speeding away._

_Naruto opened his clenched eyes and was staring at the ground. Then, he was both smelling and tasting dirt. The kunai had continued to sail onwards since he didn't catch it during the 'jump', and Naruto had appeared upside down. This would take some practice…_

* * *

"On second thought," Naruto started, "maybe not."

"Onto more depressing things, Kurama wanted to apologize for rampaging on the village and killing so many people. We're actually pretty good friends now, and I've been learning how to utilize his chakra with him. So… I don't blame you, Dad," Naruto then placed the flowers on his parents' graves. "I don't blame you for making me a jinchuuriki, and things turned out pretty alright. So, I'm going to go meet up with my team now. Uh, Goodbye?"

Naruto stood on unsure legs, and he spared a last glance as he walked away. He now only had to stop by his parents' house and grab the marriage certificate for the Old Man and he could get back to team training. 

* * *

The new Team 7 sat in the dirt waiting the last few minutes for the sensei to arrive. Kakashi was routinely two hours late to training sessions, and it gave them all time to work on personal techniques.

Sasuke had been getting much faster while under the gravity seal and relished every second he was able to train with it on. Sakura had been both perfecting genjutsu and getting a few moves Naruto showed her to use with chakra scalpels down. The slashes she used were very close to the ones Naruto preferred with his claws.

Naruto didn't practice Hirashin in front of them. He told them that he had a surprise for them during the finals, which he assured them that they would all get to, and they would then know everything about him. That excited them, and hopefully motivated them to perform even better during the exams,

"Kakashi should be here soon," Sakura commented as the three sat in a triangle.

"Is it bad that we consider his two hours late perfectly on time?" Sasuke asked worriedly.

"Nah," Naruto replied easily, "as long as it's consistent I don't really care."

"Good point," Sakura agreed as Sasuke did the old Uchiha grunt.

"So, what are you guys going to do when you become chunin?" Naruto asked as he leaned back on his hands.

"What do you mean?" Sakura shot back.

"Like, where are you going to take your careers? How are you going to improve? Maybe join a Corps.? Find a master who'll apprentice you?"

Sasuke spoke up first, "I'll either find a master or join the ANBU. I still have to get stronger in case I run into you-know-who. It's not my only goal anymore, but I'd still like to clear the family name before I rebuild it."

"And we'll still help you," Sakura assured as she nudged his arm. Naruto nodded.

"I think I'll join the Med Corps after we get promoted," Sakura added.

"Here's the thing. Sakura, that's a great idea for you, I bet you're already better than some of the doctors they have," Naruto complimented as the pinkette blushed at the compliment. "But Sasuke, you aren't going to find a suitable master."

"What do you mean?" the confused Uchiha asked.

"A master would usually take someone on to pass down their style and knowledge. There's no one left to teach you to fight like an Uchiha, which is what I assume you want," Naruto told him.

"What do I do then?" Sasuke looked truly perturbed.

"Well, you do what I've been doing. Make up your own shit or read from scrolls and drill it yourself. Your compound must have some kind of library with all your techniques and fighting styles right?" Naruto asked him.

"Well yeah, but I still need a sparring partner, someone to point out mistakes and motivate me and all that,"

Sakura snapped her fingers and looked at the other two members of her team. "I've got it! Let's go off on a training trip, just the three of us! We'll be the next Legendary Sannin. You two can perfect your styles and your jutsu while I study medicine, and with your sparring, I'll always have someone to practice on!"

The three sat in thought for only a second.

"That's not a bad idea," Kakashi droned as he strolled up to his students, slightly surprising them.

"Sensei, right on time," Sakura joked.

"I like to be prudent yes," Kakashi's response made his genin sweat. "Back to this traveling idea, what brought it on?"

"Sasuke won't find an Uchiha master to apprentice under, and the only way for me to develop my style and strengths would be in real combat scenarios. Might as well keep the team together and have Sakura with us, plus she can heal Sasuke whenever we spar," Naruto spoke up.

" **If it would help Pinky I can refrain from healing your injuries as well."**

" _Uh, I think one practice dummy will be good enough that's okay."_

" **You little bitch,"** Kurama's insult was laced with humor.

"I'll make a deal with the Hokage for you then," Kakashi told them as they stood and readied themselves for more training.

"You will?" Sasuke managed to get out as he stretched his back.

"How about this. If all three of you get promoted in this exam, he gives you a three-year tenure to leave and get stronger?"

A round of approval signaled the start of team training. 

* * *

Naruto sat with Hinata in the park that bordered the academy. They had met there as kids, and it was a nice bit of nostalgia to do so again. This was their first official 'date', and Naruto was more than a little nervous.

"You're sure you don't want me to change?" Naruto asked as he gestured to his plain black shirt and flowing pants. He had bought some more casual clothes for the occasion, but Hinata absolutely blew him out of the water.

"I like you just the way you are, Naruto," was the lovely Hyuuga's response. She leaned her head on his shoulder, and his arm wrapped around her securely.

"In that case, we should probably get going. Our reservation is at eight, and we only have ten minutes to get to the restaurant."

It was a bit odd for Naruto to eat somewhere other than Ichirakus or the barbecue joint. This place he was taking Hinata was a bit on the pricey side, but it was also rumored to be the most romantic place in town. He held onto Hinata's hand as soon as they left the park, but she somehow had gotten her arms entangled in his. He wasn't complaining though, the way her arms looped around his elbow felt completely natural. Before long, they found their way into the restaurant.

"Hello, _sir_ ," the waiter greeted Naruto like the blond was diseased. Of fucking course.

"Hi," Naruto grit his teeth and tried to keep things civil. This was supposed to be a good night out! "Reservation for two under Uzumaki?"

The waiter simply looked Naruto up and down and appeared to hide a scoff. "I'm afraid your reservation was sold to a much more important patron, and we have no other seats available."

Naruto looked around and saw at least half a dozen open tables. "Are you sure? I don't mind paying extra?" he tried offering.

The waiter would hear nothing of it, though, "I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave, sir. We have no room for you tonight."

Naruto simply spun on his heel, squeezed Hinata's hand in assurance, and left the building. He could have sworn he heard a muttered 'demon' or two.

"Naruto, if I was still part of my clan I swear I would have them shut down," Hinata said heatedly. Naruto could almost feel her shaking with rage.

Trying to salvage what he could of the night, Naruto tried out one of the things he picked up from Jiraiya, "It's fine, it just gives me an excuse to invite you to my place!" he left out the ending of _'earlier than I had hoped'_.

Hinata went back to old habits and blushed at the implication, but she knew it would only be for dinner. She held Naruto's arm a bit tighter and nodded in agreement.

Naruto sat across from Hinata at his small kitchen table, a vase of flowers in between them and off to the side as they enjoyed a simple meal of pork and rice. Naruto knew it wasn't the night he had promised her, but to be honest with himself he probably would have liked the restaurant less.

"Thank you for cooking for me, Naruto. It's very good," Hinata complimented as she took another bite.

"Thank you," Naruto responded after swallowing his own bite of food, "I'm sorry I couldn't take you somewhere nice like I said I would."

"No!" Hinata was quick to veer him away from that train of thought. "I... I like this much better. And anything is fine as long as it's with you."

Naruto had to smile at that, she was just so sweet. He still wasn't sure what he did to deserve her attention, but he sure as hell wasn't going to risk jinxing it by continuing to ask. Wanting to keep the conversation going, Naruto brought up her seal. "I think I'm pretty close to cracking your seal, by the way."

"That... that's amazing! I knew you could do it, but I didn't expect it to be so fast..."

"I mean, I do still have to help Anko with her seal, but I think I can get yours done sometime soon after the exam."

"Naruto, I know I keep saying this but... thank you. For all of this."

Naruto reached across the table, gently picked up his date's dainty hand, and pressed it to his lips. Naruto looked her in the eyes after that and simply said, "And thank you for everything else."

* * *

Anko kneeled shirtless in the center of a massive circle of blood, the sealing array inscribed in it going over her head as the metallic smell of it seemed to excite her. She appeared close to dropping the towel that covered her front and saved her modesty.

"Don't you know anything, kid?" Anko asked from her position on the ground. Naruto was just finished preparing the blood marking on her exposed shoulder for the sealing. "When a woman kneels for you, you stand in front of her! I can't do anything for you like this."

"That's enough, Anko. Let the kid work, this stuff is hard enough for someone like Kakashi without you babbling," Ibiki told her. He was in charge of overseeing the use of the interrogation room, conveniently soundproofed for the more 'hands-on' interrogations.

"I'm ready to start the first portion of this. Anko, you ready?" Naruto kept a businesslike tone.

"Do me, fox-boy!"

"Fine. Evil Sealing Method!" Naruto grunted at the surprising chakra drain. He had plenty and then some, but it was still a surprise. Anko cried out in pain as the blood gathered in a ring around the curse mark, and she panted when it finished.

"Is that… it? Too bad, I was just getting… into it," Anko's voice was haggard from screaming, and she panted for air. Ibiki watched with a stony face.

"That will obstruct any spread of the influence, but you have to will it to keep the power back. You've never used the seal?" Naruto asked her.

"No. It self activates when you wake up after the application, but I've never used it since then."

"Good. According to the notes, self-activation begins the addiction process and lets the seal start to leech off your own chakra system. This next part will hurt as well, but don't let my seal break."

Anko only nodded in response before preparing herself for the next bout of pain. It was honestly impressive she was still conscious.

Naruto created two clones and placed a single finger in the middle of the Curse Mark. He channeled chakra through his finger in a bastardized version of the Chakra Transfer Technique and watched the Curse Mark activate.

Naruto had to peer closely at the now visible marks, trying to decipher their meaning over Anko's screams of pain. She kept the Mark at bay, though. Naruto saw the security measures within the rune-like marks and prepared another seal on his fingertips.

"Ugh, Five Element Unseal…" the seal flickered only once on his fingers, a testament to only ever have tried the technique in practice, before getting slammed over the markings. Anko stopped screaming long enough to take a breath, and the rune-like marks shifted to become a more normal-looking sealing array. Naruto studied it quickly, a glance really is all he needed.

"One more seal, Anko, Four Symbol Seal!" Naruto could only manage a single Four Symbol Seal, he didn't feel like a full eight was required like the one on his stomach.

Anko stopped screaming then. Her sweat made her hair stick to her face, and Naruto found himself wishing she had passed out. "NOW we're done, right?"

"With the painful bits, yeah," Naruto told her as he placed a hand on her and on the shoulder of one of the clones. He was starting to feel a bit winded as well.

"Thank fucking Kami," Anko muttered as she trembled.

"Okay, all that's left to do now is an Uzumaki style Seal Transfer ritual. You're lucky that the seal isn't hooked into your chakra, or else I'd have to find another way to do this," Naruto then glowed a soft blue, and all the seals on Anko's shoulder started to swirl and shift up his arm.

The notes Naruto had found in his father's study said this was mostly used to transfer stores of chakra, but if it works it works.

The clone looked ready to pop as the seals started to transfer onto it. Naruto felt a twinge of fear, he was really counting on the clone not to give out here. It lasted, and Anko fell to the ground exhausted.

Naruto was about to check on her when the clone started to flare chakra. It wasn't Naruto's chakra either. The second, contingency, clone tried to dispel it, but a clawed hand from the warping clone made it pop. Naruto couldn't quite move fast enough yet, and the now evil clone was growing stronger.

Ibiki was the one to hit the clone, although the first kunai to the chest wasn't enough. It took a second one to the back of the neck to finally pop, but the deed was done.

"Naruto," Anko said weakly from the floor.

"Yes?"

"You can tell Ibiki to leave and take the rest of my clothes off if you want," there was no joking tone in her voice this time, but Naruto's answer stayed the same.

"I'm just going to go home and rest. Hopefully, you feel better soon. Later, Ibiki."

With that Naruto left, and Ibiki just stood in protective awe over Anko. "Do you have any idea what that kid just did for you?"

"Jiraiya's gonna be pissed Naruto figured it out so quickly. Kid's got one hell of a future."

"You're telling me. Now, put your clothes back on."

"Aww, no round two?"

* * *

Naruto was walking home from Ichiraku's, a good luck meal before the exams started tomorrow. The sun wasn't all the way down yet, and Naruto made a quick decision to watch the rest of the sunset from… his dad's head. Kinda odd to put it that way but oh well.

The semi-smooth rock felt good under his hands, and Naruto looked out over the calming village. Naruto could see the arena from his vantage point, and he knew that there were hotels in the area that were absolutely swamped with competing teams.

" **Are you nervous?"**

" _Of course not. What kind of genin could handle me? Handle US?"_

" **Oh, you're on your own here, buddy. This is an event for you, so you'll do it yourself unless you need me to keep you from dying. AGAIN might I add."**

" _Fine, that's fair. But near the end I want to show you off a bit, let everyone know we're the real shit. It's not like I have reason to be worried anyway."_

" **If I could bet money I would definitely bet against you."**

" _Love you too, furball."_

The banter was cut short when Naruto felt an overwhelming amount of Killer Intent shooting through the air. It was intense enough to force the birds in the bushes to take wing, and Naruto knew he had to investigate.

" **Seals off?"**

" _Done."_

Naruto jumped down into the very bushes he saw the birds exit from and looked to the source of the Intent. The way that it seemed to be aimless made it closer to Naruto's Malice variation of Presence. Then Naruto saw him, the Suna genin in the middle of a fight with what appeared to be a stray, rabid dog. Odd, Konoha usually kept the streets fairly safe.

Naruto pulled out a single blank tag and his ink brush. Naruto scribbled down the formula for a medium strength chakra suppression seal. Should put the guy out of commission for about twelve hours if he had up to a chunin chakra reserve. The tag was more of a formality so far since he wasn't hurting anything, but Naruto didn't like the feel of this guy's Malice.

The dog didn't suffer in death. Sand seemed to pour from the gourd this shinobi carried and enveloped the hound before a spray of blood let Naruto know the fight was over. Impressive, and someone to look out for in the exams for sure.

The sand didn't stop there, however, and the building next to the dog suffered a monstrous hit. Naruto knew that would happen, the guy just wasn't normal. He seemed to be on a kind of rampage, and Naruto knew he had to end it.

With a quick burst of speed, Naruto closed in silently on the genin. One slap of the tag and things would be just—

Sand. In the mouth. Somehow the sand had been fast enough to stop Naruto's charge even though he knew that the Suna nin wasn't aware of his presence. Naruto was flung backward by the force he was hit with.

"What's this?" the gourd wielding genin rasped. His voice was scratchy and almost tired, but his eyes seemed to be wide and excited at the prospect of a fight. "A real meal for Mother?"

"Listen, man," Naruto started calmly, "I just can't let you break any of the village's shit, okay?"

"Mother… liked the feel of your chakra… the feel of your life… you will give it to her!"

Mother? The only thing Naruto was in contact with was the sand. Was that what the kid was calling mother?

"Yes, mother. I will bring you his blood so you may feast…"

Definite psychopath. Absolute lunatic.

"Look, dude. It was one thing to attack a wall cause a dog pissed you off, Kiba makes me do that too," heh, good one, "but threatening me in my own village would be stupid."

"What is your name? I love to know the names of mother's meals before I serve her their blood," more sand seeped out of the gourd as the genin spoke, and Naruto shook his head at the same time as he sent a Calm wave of his Presence at the kid to try and diffuse the situation.

"My name is Naruto. Look, I don't think you're a bad guy or anything, but where's your team? Why are you alone out here? I know the exams are stressful but still," the wave of Calm didn't seem to affect the genin, but now Naruto could use clones more effectively.

"Well, Naruto, I am only here because Mother said there would be blood. I have no care for your exams. Just know that the one who killed you is named Gaara!" and with that, the Suna nin raised an arm and sent a wave of sand careening at Naruto.

A clone popped into existence behind him, and then Naruto used a quick Kawarimi to trade places and apply the seal.

The sand dropped from the air and the genin dropped like a sack of rice, much to Naruto's surprise. He caught the now sleeping teen and looked around in confusion. That wasn't part of his seal, and he knew he didn't mess it up.

There was a sudden breeze as a massive war fan was held at Naruto's throat.

"What did you do to our brother?" a hard, feminine voice snapped.

Naruto made a clone that batted the fan aside and gave him room to calmly step away.

"I put a chakra suppression tag on him since he was trying to kill me. Don't know why he fell asleep," Naruto answered her as he handed the limp body off to a second older shinobi, a teen with makeup on his face. "Wears off in twelve hours for people with chunin level chakra, could cut it in half by removing the tag though."

"But… Gaara never sleeps," makeup boy said.

"Really? That might be why he was so crazy. Kept talking about his mother and giving her my blood. Must have been really tired," Naruto ended his sentence with heavy sarcasm.

"No, kid. Like, I haven't seen him sleep since he was seven. That was seven years ago," the older blond said.

Naruto took the moment to get a better look at the other two Suna shinobi. The girl was tall, blond, and looked like a tested warrior. Her massive fan must have been her primary weapon, which made her a long-range wind user. Her brother, the makeup boy, was even taller than her. He had dark hair to go with his purple makeup lines and darkened eyes, and he carried a large bandaged object on his back. He looked pretty stout, so maybe a taijutsu specialist?

"Must be a chakra related issue then," Naruto mumbled as he pulled out half a dozen more sealing tags. "I'll make up a few more tags for you guys so he can sleep."

The older boy looked surprised at that. "What? You don't even know us!"

Naruto looked up from his work for a second, "Hi, I'm Naruto."

The Suna nin looked at each other and shrugged before the girl spoke up. "I'm Temari, the oldest of us three at sixteen. Kankuro is my middle brother, he's fifteen," Kankuro waved with his free hand at that, "and you've already met our baby brother Gaara. He just turned fourteen."

Naruto stood up with all six seal tags finished. "Awesome, nice to meet you guys. So, here are six tags, and they all work the same way. Just plop one on him and it will cut all usage of chakra, and hopefully, it will let him get some more sleep."

"Thanks and all but," Kankuro started, "why are you helping us again?"

"Mostly because I feel bad for Gaara never sleeping, but technically he's not safe to be around all tired like that. So... I guess if anyone asks you can say it's because our villages are allied."

Temari spoke next, "Would you mind if we saved one to show to our sealing Corps at home?"

Naruto looked at her hopeful face, likely wanting to help her poor brother out as much as possible. "It's not really that difficult to pull off, but yeah that shouldn't be a problem. If you bring me your own blank tags tomorrow after the exam I'll make you more for the trip back."

Temari had a moment of indecisiveness at the generosity but took the offer anyway. "Thanks, kid. It really means a lot, Gaara's really… suffered these past years and I hope this helps him."

Naruto only smiled as he prepared to leave.

"Since you've helped us we'll give you a word of warning, Naruto," Kankuro stopped him from leaving. "If we come up against you in a fight tomorrow, run. Gaara won't let a sealing trick get him again."

Naruto laughed aloud as he walked away, "A word of warning for you guys then. I'm not a sealing specialist."

And with that, Naruto was gone.

Kankuro lifted Gaara onto his shoulder. "It kinda sucks that there are people like him here."

Temari shot him an annoyed glance before saying, "The plan hasn't changed. All he's done is to help Gaara be stronger and gave our village a new weapon to use. Being gullible doesn't make him a good person."

"I know you feel the same way, Temari. I still don't know why dad decided to go through with this."

"Just shut up, Kankuro. Let's get Gaara back to the hotel, the kid never said how long his seal would hold out against jonin level chakra."


	19. Chapter 19

Team 7 strolled up to the exam building with their papers in their pockets. All they had to do to start the exam was meet Kakashi in front of waiting room 301. Simple enough.

The simple enough walk was interrupted on the second floor though.

" **Naruto, genjutsu ahead. It's not messing with you personally, so I can't really break it without giving us away."**

" _Let our team handle it, no doubt they've noticed already."_

"Guys," Sakura whispered urgently, "genjutsu ahead. I can't tell what it's blocking though."

A quick flash of red in Sasuke's eyes was all that was needed. "We're on the second floor still, it's probably an early weeding out kind of thing. Let's just keep going."

Naruto saw a flash of green and figured he should help out his other friends. "You guys wait for me real quick, I owe some people a quick visit."

Naruto walked quietly to the front of the crowd gathered in front of the fake door. There was some spiel that a few henged shinobi were giving a knocked down Lee about the difficulty of the exams. Naruto knew Lee was bluffing the hit since Naruto hit him WAY harder than that and ended up only hurting himself.

"Neji," Naruto whispered from behind the Hyuuga. "Activate your Byakugan and keep quiet about what you see. You owe me one."

Naruto then left, knowing that Neji would have eventually found out the secret but taking advantage of the debt anyway. Naruto jogged over to his team by the stairs.

On the real third floor was a large room built into the hallway, likely to avoid the worst traffic on busy days. Once Team 7 reached the point, there was a loud shout from the staircase.

"Naruto!" that was Lee.

Naruto put on a smile and turned to face the incoming genin, "Hi, Lee!"

"It was most youthful of you to offer my team assistance, and for that I humbly thank you!" the spandex-clad teen bowed deeply to show his gratitude.

"I take it you've met them before?" Sakura asked, in slight awe at Lee's massive eyebrows. Or spandex suit. Probably both.

" **It's definitely both."**

It was both.

"Ah!" Lee brightened even further when he looked to the owner of that question. His teammates caught up only to shake their heads at his antics. "Naruto, you did not tell me you had such a rare beauty on your team!"

Sakura had the decency to blush lightly at the comment, but her eyes flickered to Sasuke for a split second. "Um, why, thank you, Lee."

"Please, be my girlfriend!" literally everyone nearly fell over with that blunt approach. Even Naruto knew better than that. "I shall protect you until the day I die!"

Naruto had to think fast. Luckily, Tenten beat him to it., "Lee, how could you do this to all of us? You're distracting us from the exams with your heart troubles!" Clever, Tenten.

"OH NO!" Lee's anguished yell brought him to his knees. "I apologize most deeply, friends! I regret my foolish actions greatly, and in punishment, I will do a thousand push-ups! On my thumbs! And if I—"

"Lee, how about you just go kick ass in the exam? That will be enough for me," Naruto interrupted, knowing how he could get. Both Sakura and Tenten agreed vehemently, getting the energetic young man to calm down.

"We'll see you guys in there," Tenten waved goodbye to Naruto as she dragged a happily sobbing Lee away with her free hand.

Naruto looked over to the two dojutsu wielders and caught them ending what must have been an epic stare down. Neji had just turned off his Byakugan and Sasuke allowed his Sharingan to fade. Too bad they all missed that, it was probably pretty cool.

"Yes," Neji started with a haughty tone, "we will. Don't let this trash hold you down, Naruto."

"What's with that guy?" Sakura asked as Neji's back faded.

"He's a Hyuuga," Sasuke used the name as a curse.

"My girlfriend is a Hyuuga," Naruto pointed out.

Sasuke's gaze flicked to Naruto for a second before resuming it's impassive look. "He's a spiteful Hyuuga."

A little bit better, Naruto conceded.

Once the team made it to the room, they simply nodded to Kakashi who didn't even look up from his book. His presence was likely a formality, he knew they'd all show up. Inside, though, is where all the fun was.

Shinobi from Sand, Grass, and Leaf made up most of the body count. Naruto caught glimpses of other teams, mostly from smaller countries he never bothered to learn the names or symbols of. Why should Naruto bother counting when he had a teammate with magic eyes?

"Sasuke, how many of who are we looking at here?" Naruto asked under his breath as his team made their way to an open spot on the floor.

Sasuke flashed his Sharingan again and did a quick spin of the room. "Judging by headbands and similar dress, I see three teams from Sand and Grass. One team from a village that has a music note on their plates, probably Sound if logic is still a thing. One team from Bear and Stone. Two from Tea. I know that there will be six teams representing Konoha from what Sakura's heard. In total that brings us up to seventeen teams. Fifty-one shinobi."

"With plenty more coming in," Sakura pointed out with a flat tone. Seemed like things would be pretty packed overall.

Most of the next teams that came in after the count was from small countries or smaller outposts of the bigger countries. Some of the 'eternal genin' get sent to other towns, and their only chance at redemption is a field promotion or getting a team together for an exam. They were mostly cannon fodder, but the numbers weren't nice either way.

Two teams that came in were of extreme importance. One came in from Kumo, which understandably drew ire from both of the attending Hyuuga, and one came in from Iwa.

The Iwa team was a complete surprise. While it was true that there weren't any current hostilities between any of the major villages at the moment, it was an oddity to see shinobi from the losing side of the last war waltzing into the village.

"Either of you guys have any idea why those two villages have representatives here?" Naruto asked aloud.

"I do since I'm good at that kind of stuff," Ino said idly as she approached Team 7. Both Team 8 and 10 joined Team 7, bringing all of that year's rookies together.

Hinata immediately went to Naruto's arm, and she made it known that she was more than comfortable there before Ino resumed speaking.

"Apparently Iwa and Kumo have been on some shaky ground with us, and they each sent an elite team to participate in the exams as a sign of good faith. I heard that the Kumo team is supposed to be the best of their generation, and the Iwa team even has the granddaughter of their Kage on it."

Naruto nodded in silent understanding and thanked Ino for the information. Kiba, however, wasn't so satisfied.

"So they sent in their strongest fighters to show us that they don't plan on killing us? How the hell does that work?" the Inuzuka's voice was accompanied by the yip of his puppy.

Hinata responded to him, slightly startling the Rookie 9 by speaking up, "Their best genin couldn't hope to stand against our forces, so there's nothing to worry about there. And by sending high profile figures like this into possibly hostile territory they're showing trust that we also intend to keep the peace."

Naruto squeezed her arm a bit tighter to show his appreciation.

"You lot must be the Rookies, you're the loudest ones here," a new voice called out as it approached. "Do you guys have any idea how amazing seeing rookies here is? It hasn't happened in five years, and never in this amount."

"Thanks, I think," Sakura said as she shifted to the side and made room for the addition of the Konoha ninja. "Who are you, exactly?"

"I'm Kabuto. I'm something of a veteran in these exams," the glasses wearing boy told her. "This will be my seventh attempt, going on my fourth year of trying…"

"I think that's less of hard exams and more of flawed shinobi," Kiba chimed in. Hinata shot him a warning glare to let him know he had to watch his mouth more.

Kabuto only laughed, "I like to think it's at least a bit of both. I used to be on a set team, but ever since the new system was implemented I'm technically a pool genin. At least I can pick better teammates this time around."

A round of agreements met his statement. Eventually, Naruto spoke up to keep the conversation going, "So do you have any tips for us newbies?" Naruto wasn't too worried about it, but it was something to talk about and might help his friends.

A sly smirk found its way to Kabuto's face. "Actually, I've got something way better. I only share this with other Konoha shinobi, so feel lucky!" Kabuto then pulled out a deck of odd looking cards. "These are my Ninja Info Cards. I've put every bit of knowledge I could find on competitors over the last three years into these babies. Name me someone and I'll get you some stats."

The Rookie genin looked at each other with excited grins, and Sasuke asked first, "Sound is a new village right? What can you tell us about them?"

Kabuto flipped over a card and Naruto saw quite a bit of information pop up. Nothing groundbreaking, but stuff that should have been pretty hard for a genin to get a hold of.

"Hm, not a whole lot on the village or its ninja. They're pretty new, so I haven't really been able to get any info on a place that small. I don't think you should really worry though."

Naruto saw the Sound team stiffen at that, but there was no way they should have heard Kabuto unless they had the hearing of a ninken. Coincidence maybe?

"Anyone else?" Kabuto asked.

"How about the sand team, the one with the fan user and makeup boy?" Naruto asked nonchalantly.

Kabuto's eyes seemed to light up at that. He pulled another card but didn't need to look at it too much. "Now that's a fun one. It looks like they've all been active for about three years, with the youngest sibling, Gaara, starting at eleven. They've completed a handful of C-Ranks and even a B-Rank, and they all have really good combat statistics."

Naruto heard Sasuke scoff at the impression of a B-Rank being impressive. To be fair, none of the higher ranked missions Team 7 had been on had been intentional. Well, the old Team 7 anyway. Naruto still struggled to fit himself under that label.

" **No genin should have access to that information, even less so when it's on another village. That's almost Jiraiya level spy work."**

" _You think he's one of the chunin plants?"_

"What about Naruto here," Hinata asked, bringing everyone's attention to the blond.

Naruto felt a bit nervous about having his details leaked to anyone that might be listening like that Sound team. Speaking of, where did they go?

A kunai buried itself in the floorboards of where Kabuto's feet used to be. The plant was fast enough to be a chunin, that was for sure… but he had just attacked. Before the exams started. Unacceptable.

Naruto heard the incoming attack meant for Kabuto, and he spun to meet the sound genin. A fast jab to the shoulder deadened the incoming punch, and the kunai at his throat stopped the charge. A drop of blood could be seen running down the taped genin's neck, and Naruto leaned into his ear.

"If you attack one of my comrades outside of the exams again, your village will be missing three genin," the calm threat from Naruto could easily be heard by the now silent room. He didn't try too hard to conceal it.

Naruto was pleased to see that Sasuke had the other Sound nin in a similar hold, using the very kunai he threw at Kabuto. Sakura and Hinata stood in front of the older Konoha genin, chakra scalpels and Byakugan respectively redied.

The third member of the foreign team spoke up, "Pfft, calm down, kid. We were just gonna scare the punk for insulting Otogakure. We weren't gonna _kill_ him," the small smirk was more than annoying.

"I won't make the same promise to you," Sasuke said as he shoved the genin he held away roughly.

Naruto did the same, parting with, "I meant what I said. Never forget that."

" **Show off."**

Before anyone else could cause any sort of ruckus, there was a large explosion of smoke as a large group of chunin and jonin appeared.

"Listen up, maggots!" a distinctly familiar voice rang out. "As of now you are my playthings, and you will pass, fail, live, or die on my whim. The exams are about to start, so prepare yourselves. Maybe write home for the last time."

Yup, Ibiki Morino.

"My name is Ibiki Morino, and I will be the proctor of the first exam. Give your papers to one of these more useful pieces of shit next to me and sit at the assigned desk according to the number they give you."

* * *

Naruto was sat nowhere next to his team. Luckily, he had Hinata next to him. The first exam was a written one, but it was full of questions no normal genin, or most chunin really, should be able to answer. Thankfully Kabuto was sitting in front of Naruto, and Naruto could bend the rules a bit and cheat off of the plant. A quick look around proved that he wasn't the only chunin in the ranks.

Naruto held a seal under the desk and made a smokeless shadow clone that went into an immediate henge. Naruto's henge worked a bit differently than a normal one, since a normal person could only change into something or someone of close to the same size and mass unless it was only for a short period of time. You could combat that by pouring more and more chakra into the technique, but most of the time it wasn't worth it. Naruto, by extension, had no issues with chakra. His henge also came supercharged thanks to Kurama, making every transformation more realistic.

That being said, Kabuto didn't notice the small, orange spider crawling up his chair and onto its shoulder. With the answers memorized, it dispelled and gave Naruto everything he needed. Kabuto was definitely a plant, and there were two other teams full of plants in the room.

"Numbers 62, 63, and 64! You are out of points and have been eliminated. Leave the testing grounds immediately," Ibiki called out gruffly.

Without turning fully, Naruto saw that one of the chunin teams was the one being called out.

"That's bullshit! There's no way you could have caught us cheating! Where's you're proof?"

Ibiki threw three shuriken, one at each member. Two managed to dodge, but the third one cried out when he was struck in the arm. "Leave. Now," Ibiki's voice dropped to a fierce growl and the planted team scurried away.

" _Good ol' Ibiki. Scare tactics just like the ones he used when Anko introduced us."_

" **Gotta say those two are some of my favorite people you know."**

" _... I think I gotta limit your time around them."_

Naruto sent two more spider clones out, one to each teammate. Sasuke knew what it was immediately, but Sakura nearly crushed it in panic. Both had their answers down, Sasuke by Sharingan and Sakura by… being Sakura.

The time ran out, and Ibiki gave a speech about the final question, an all or nothing deal. The other planted genin left, along with a good number of actual participants. In their defense the act was impressive, and the stipulations of becoming an eternal genin were daunting, to say the least. Naruto knew his team would be fine, though.

"Congratulations. You pass—" before Ibiki could say more on the matter, the window to his immediate right burst in an epic shower of glass.

"HELLO, ALL YOU WORTHLESS PIECES OF SHIT! I AM THE ONE AND ONLY ANKO HERE TO HARVEST YOUR DREAMS AND LIFEBLOOD!"

" **The Hokage made a good choice by choosing his Torture and Interrogation Specialists to inflict fear as Proctors."**

" _Anko went a bit overboard though. She's doing that thing where she licks her blood again."_

" **You can't tell me that's not at least a little appealing."**

"You're early, again," Ibiki growled at her. Man, some of the other genin were visibly shaking now.

"There's got to be twenty teams left here! Ibiki, you're getting soft," Anko commented as she counted the remaining participants. "How many did you kill this time?"

" _They're really playing this up aren't they?"_

"That happened three years ago and I'm not getting a pay cut for that again."

" **Maybe not, kit."**

Anko's eyes eventually drifted over Naruto, and then they widened in a perverse version of pleasure. "Naruto!" her sickeningly sweet voice rang loud as her arm flicked faster than most eyes could follow. The kunai she hurled at his head was easy enough to dodge, but it likely would have killed the Kusa nin behind him.

Naruto leaned to the left and replaced his face with his right hand, allowing the kunai to sink into his palm and protrude from the other side. "Do you have to do that every time you see me?"

" **You easily could have caught that you know. Now I have to patch your sorry ass up."**

" _Let Sakura do it."_

"I told you before, it's how I show my appreciation since you aren't old enough to fuck," and to that Ibiki only nodded sagely.

Naruto only sighed, yanked the honestly very painful weapon out of his hand, leaned back over the paper of the flinching Kusa nin behind him — hey she had some pretty red hair… don't let Hinata know I think that — and held his hand out to Sakura.

"I saw that, Naruto. You could have just caught the damn thing," Sasuke said as he rose to turn in his paper.

"I'll heal it anyway, but stop making me waste my chakra," Sakura chided him and then followed the Uchiha out of the room. Naruto stayed behind to get the info on where to meet for the next stage.

"Well, you sackless little fucks, meet me at training ground 44 in half an hour. It's my turn to play with you, and I can promise that some of you will die! Hehe!" Anko rolled back out her window, and Naruto used a shunshin to catch up to his team.

The room was silent after that, and no one moved a muscle. From the back of the room came a shout, "What the FUCK is wrong with Konoha?"

* * *

Anko stood on a platform looking over all the genin present. Her smile offered no comfort, and small amounts of Killing Intent were leaking off of her every now and again. A great choice for proctor indeed.

"Okay, kiddies! Since I can't kill you myself, I'm sending you into my backyard to die instead! You'll each have a scroll, blah blah blah something about finding the matching scroll and taking it, and then meet in the center! Now, my little home here is aptly named the Forest of Death, so sign a piece of paper so I don't get in trouble when you do die. So! The forest is ironically 44 miles across the middle, which should leave you all plenty of room to kill each other for scraps of paper. Umm, some of my pets might also kill you, so watch out for that. Good luck, and try to entertain me! Any questions?"

Naruto knew that everyone would be scared shitless by the speech, so he figured he should raise morale. Even if other teams benefit from it, he mostly did it for the Konoha representatives.

"Why don't you wear more clothes?" he was, of course, referencing the fact that most of her bust was 'concealed' by a fishnet shirt.

"Naruto!" again with the kunai.

This time Naruto simply tilted his head and let the blade bury itself in the dirt harmlessly. Unfortunately, Anko somehow managed to be pressed up against the blond, her mouth by his ear and her… fishnets… crushing his upper arm. Hinata would be pissed. Wait, she was probably looking right now…

"I told you," her voice took on a sweet, albeit scary, soft tone as she whispered, "Back when you removed my seal that you could remove the rest of my clothes. For not being interested you sure are observant."

Well, she was good enough to specialize in combat, so she was good enough to get behind him like that. Naruto thought back to her offer after her unsealing and almost shivered at the memory.

"I'm still good, thanks," Naruto said as he tried to ease away from her.

Anko was about to comment again when she pulled another kunai just as quickly as the first, and a split second later Naruto felt why. A second, bloodthirsty presence had manifested behind Anko, somehow getting the drop on the woman.

It was a Kusa nin, and an older girl, late teens. With moves close to Anko's like that it was a wonder she was still a genin. "I'm just returning this kunai… you seem to have dropped it," her voice gave Naruto shivers, but Anko took the kunai without hesitation.

"Thank you, but it's a horrible idea to move behind me like that unless you want to stop moving," Anko said as she walked back to the front of the crowd. Naruto was unnerved by the Kusa lady, but she also went back to her deadly looking team.

"Well, shitsticks, grab your papers and let's get the party started!"

* * *

Naruto stood behind his team in line to one of the tents giving out scrolls needed in the second exam. Naruto knew that they would be in gate 30, and the four teams surrounding them were already set to go at their gates. Naruto deliberately had his team hold off for this very reason, and to top it off Nehi was behind him.

"Hey, Neji, you remember that favor you owe me from earlier?" Naruto whispered as he leaned back.

"I assume you wish to cash it in, but I refuse to tamper with your fate regarding this exam," the uptight Hyuuga responded.

Naruto knew this game though, "What if it was my fate to be in front of you in line to ask this favor?"

Neji grunted, "What do you want."

Boom. "What scrolls do the teams in gates 28, 29, 31, and 32 have?"

"This is significantly more helpful than what you did for me earlier," Neji countered.

"But just as easy," Naruto was getting a bit impatient, there were only four teams in front of his in line.

A quick use of the Byakugan was all Neji needed. "28 and 32 have Heaven scrolls, and the other two have Earth. Now, I will help you no more," and with that, Neji went back to his silent vigil.

Naruto relayed the information to his team and then discovered that they also had an Earth scroll. Sakura held onto it as the member most heavily defended member of their team. Lined up at the gate, Team seven prepared for a quick, easy assault and then sprint to the tower.

The plan was: The team would race ahead, leave Sakura with the scroll in a heavily genjutsu laced area with a pair of henged shadow clones, and then Sasuke and Naruto would storm the team at gate 32, one from Bear if Naruto remembered correctly. Then, after retrieving Sakura, Sasuke would take point headed towards the tower, using his Mangekyo to scout for ambushes. Quick and easy.

The gates opened, and every team rushed into the waiting woods. Team 7 was among the fastest, and they left the majority teams behind as they sped through the trees.

After a solid half an hour of travel, the team came to a large downed tree with a partial hollow. Figuring it was a good a spot as any, Sakura took residence within the hollowed trunk with fake teammates before using a genjutsu to hide the entrance.

"Alright Sasuke, take lead," Naruto said as he pulled on his gloves.

"Hn," was all the Uchiha bothered to respond with.

The team immediately next to the pair was well behind them, they were a Kusa team that was made up of younger shinobi like than the one that Naruto encountered. Probably that redhead. Totally bypassing the trail they would likely take, Sasuke led the Naruto on for another ten minutes before signaling a halt in a small clearing.

Naruto let Sasuke take lead on the ambush plan, and they set up opposite the side that they approached from. If they run, they would hopefully run back towards Sakura. Sasuke pointed to the spot where he wanted a pair of clones to lay in wait, and Naruto obliged, having them burrow under the soft dirt.

Not two minutes later, a trio of older genin came rushing by, the symbols they bore confirming their identity. Sasuke gave the signal, and Naruto sent the order to have his clones rise up from the dirt.

The initial attacks came up short, and a quick, watery retaliation from the lead Bear genin took out one of the clones. Sasuke fired off a Phoenix Fire Jutsu and Naruto charged in behind it, closing what distance there was. All of the genin dodged the attack, and Sasuke was close behind Naruto. The trailing genin broke away from his team and took off back towards Sakura. Brilliant plan.

Naruto used a few hand signs to tell Sasuke that he would pursue and Sasuke should finish the current battle. Naruto took off but took a quick note of how the remaining Bear nin didn't try and stop him. A possible trap?

The running genin was waiting on a large tree branch up ahead. When Naruto got closer, he stopped level with his adversary.

"So, baby Konoha nin, you were foolish enough to come after me on your own? I would have expected you to be here with your third team member."

Naruto ignored the taunt. "I assume that you are either the strongest or the most defensive of your team. Would you happen to hold your team's Heaven Scroll?"

A small flinch confirmed it. "What makes you think we have an Earth scroll? And my team wouldn't trust me with it anyway."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and snaked a tendril of Calm Presence out to the nervous shinobi. "You know who I am right? From the first exam? Knife in hand guy?" Naruto waved the now healed hand in front of his face.

Emboldened by the calming feeling he was surrounded in, the Bear nin shot back, "You think that scared me? Konoha's staged acts aren't what they used to be if they think a little kid will scare me!"

Naruto shrugged and turned around, letting the newly created clone bash the guy on the back of his head. After the clone procured the scroll, it made its way to Naruto who then waited for Sasuke. It didn't take more than five minutes.

"Get the scroll?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto held it up in one hand.

"Prove it's you?" Sasuke flashed his Sharingan as his own proof.

Naruto held up a Rasengan in his other hand before he asked, "You leave either of them alive?"

Sasuke grunted and said, "Only one of them is seriously injured, I hit him with a Great Fireball. The other guy is just under a light genjutsu, should wear off in an hour or so."

"Cool, let's head back and start our sprint."

The two took off at their usual furious pace but stopped halfway to Sakura's position. Screaming towards the gate.

Sasuke nudged Naruto's arm, "It's probably that Kusa team, let's just go."

Naruto hesitated, then shook his head. "You rendezvous with Sakura, I'll be five minutes behind you."

Sasuke grumbled something about a hero complex as he took the offered scroll and headed back towards Sakura.

Naruto took off in the direction of the screaming and hoped he made it in time to at least see what was going on since no other teams should have been in the immediate vicinity. 

* * *

Karin threw the last of her shuriken at the hulking beast and backed up against a towering tree. She was no fighter, she was her team's sensor and healer. She screamed again as the massive bear brought its snout up and out of her teammate's stomach, covered in his blood. Karin had watched with a broken ankle as both of her comrades fell to this beast, and nothing she threw at it seemed to slow it down. It had weapons sticking out from various places through its fur, but it paid them no mind.

The bloodthirsty behemoth stalked towards Karin, and she kicked her good leg pitifully at the dirt to try and move away. She was really going to end up like her team… she didn't even like those idiots! And now their stupid plan was going to get her killed!

"Now, now, Jerry," a dark voice rang out from the treetops. The bear stopped in its tracks, and its eyes widened. "Do you remember what I said would happen if you didn't play nice?"

Behind the bear dropped a dark blue and black-clad shinobi, the only bright thing about him being his hair and eyes. Karin must have overlooked his presence in her panic… but now that she saw his chakra she knew she'd never miss him again.

The bear turned and backed away from this kid the same way Karin had backed away from the bear, and the blond just smiled. And then his chakra… _grew_. It spread, and it engulfed everything. As soon as the wave hit her, Karin felt him. She felt his _Power_ and knew that he was invincible. Nothing could stop him, and the bear must have felt it too. And did he call the beast Jerry?

The bear took off in a series of snorts and grunts. Karin looked again at the brilliant blond in front of her, and when she looked at his receding chakra she felt a warm, familiar wave of nostalgia hit her. 

* * *

Naruto had gotten to the scene just in time to save the final Kusa genin, ironically the redhead. Naruto took quick note of her teammates, one of which had a broken neck and claw marks across his face, the other missing most of his stomach and chest.

Naruto turned to the Redheaded genin and approached slowly, softly saying, "Hey, it's alright now, I don't plan to hurt you."

For some reason, the girl believed him without another word. "My team," she started.

"They're gone. I'll have some clones take them to the entrance. You can come with me and my team to the tower if you want, we'll keep you safe enough."

The girl nodded frantically and then dug through her pouch, "My scroll! To thank you."

Naruto knew it was an Earth scroll, "I don't need your Earth scroll, we have the same one. Come on."

Puzzled at how he knew, the girl said, "Uh, I broke my ankle, and even though I'm my team's healer I can't heal myself. And my name's Karin, by the way. Karin Uzumaki."

Naruto felt his eyebrows shoot up, and he moved to pick her up. "Uzumaki huh? Interesting. Not too many of us left," Naruto spoke as he bound through the trees to the area he knew Sasuke and Sakura to be.

"Us?" she asked softly.

"Naruto Uzumaki, at your service," he smiled as he introduced himself.

"Really…? I have family left?" she almost whispered.

"I'm just as surprised," Naruto told her. "If you don't have anyone left… you can always come to Konoha. Once I'm a chunin I'll be in charge of the Uzumaki Memorial Compound, there'll always be plenty of room for the family."

Karin was about to say more but then stiffened in Naruto's arms. "Naruto, I think your teammates are in trouble," she said urgently.

"What?" Naruto forced down his panic as he sped up.

"There are two people with normal chakra signatures fighting someone with the same amount as a Kage… not as much as you, but it's a lot."

Naruto cursed and took off at top speed.

" **Do you think Jiraiya stopped in to fuck with you and your team?"**

" _He wouldn't do that, not today. This is something else."_

Naruto set down Karin, being mindful of her ankle. He then burst into the small clearing and saw The long-tongued Kusa nin from before the start of the survival phase. She stood on the had of a massive snake, one Naruto knew didn't live in this forest and looked smug as all shit.

"Naruto!" Sasuke yelled, his Sharingan blazing in its full Mangekyo glory. "You're late, you bastard!"

Sakura formed a pair of chakra scalpels, her sign of identification between the three. Naruto formed a Rasengan that served two purposes. One, it let them know it was really him, and two, it was slammed under the chin of the massive snake.

The snake disappeared in a puff of smoke, and Naruto flipped away from a vicious downward strike that the Kusa nin threw. Naruto landed in front of his teammates, in a ready position with his wind blades extending from his knuckles.

"Naruto, this lady is crazy strong. We can just give her our scroll and get another!" Sakura urged from behind him.

"She's not here for the scroll."

" **Well this is turning into a right clusterfuck, isn't it? I can only think of one person who summons snakes with Kage level chakra."**

"Then what's she here for?" Sasuke asked.

"I don't know for sure, let's ask," Naruto then shouted, "What do you want, Orochimaru?"

"Oh, it seems like that idiot teammate of mine managed to find a smart one this time," Orochimaru said as he peeled away the face of the Kusa girl. He was a sick individual.

"Wait, the _Sannin_ Orochimaru?" Sakura whispered in fear. Sasuke nodded.

"What do you want?" Naruto asked again.

"Why I'm simply here to test out a few genin I've had my eye on," the snake user drolled.

"Ugh, fucking pedophile," and with that, Naruto fired off a powerful Vacuum Wave.

The sannin only reacted by twitching an eye and sidestepping the attack with little effort.

The three members of Team 7 were hit by a wave of chilling Killing Intent, even more than Zabuza had ever given off. All three froze, unable to move through the powerful feeling.

"I see his language has also rubbed off on you. Poor thing, before you know it you'll be whoring like you'll never see the sun again..."

This would not be a fun fight. 


	20. Chapter 20

Anko sat upon the rooftop of one of the gates, enjoying the last of the dango she brought. She was in an especially good mood at the moment: stomach full of dango, screaming children in the background, and no constant nagging of the curse mark.

"After I finish this up, I might as well go and see how the kids are doing. A few of them should have died by now…"

Anko flicked the now clean stick to her left, completing the perfect Konoha Leaf symbol on the trunk of the tree. She looked after she heard the thud just to see her handiwork and smiled at her success.

A swirl of leaves brought Anko's attention to the ANBU operative now at her side. "Mitarashi, we have found the bodies of three genin from Kusa and require your order on how to proceed," the masked man said.

Anko licked the last of the sweetness from her fingers as she considered the message. You don't get nervous about 'finding bodies' during the exams unless they were likely killed outside of regulation. She should probably go see what the big deal was then.

"They have been dead for a few hours, but not long enough for rigor mortis to fully take hold," the masked ANBU reported as Anko approached the genin corpses.

All three had their faces removed. That was the first sign that something wasn't right. "Show me their identification. Now!" Anko snapped.

When the card was held up to her, Anko knew the worst possible scenario was playing out in front of her. The face of the genin was that of the long-tongued girl from the beginning of the second stage. A snake-like tongue. Anko only knew one person who used a person's face for an advanced henge.

"Get to the Hokage, have him send every team of ANBU in after me as he can. I'm going to go pay my old sensei a visit," Anko's words were the only prompting the ANBU needed, and they parted ways. All Anko could do now was pray that she was in time to stop that scaly bastard from finishing whatever he had planned.

* * *

_With Team 7 and Orochimaru_

**"Why are you not using the Hiraishin? It would actually land us a decisive blow!"** Kurama growled within Naruto.

Naruto was currently in his two-tailed cloak, the highest he could go without the entire forest knowing there was a fight no genin should be having was occurring. It wasn't the most important thing, but Naruto didn't want to draw in several curious teams while he was occupied.

Naruto evaded another massive snake as he responded, _"If I show him, I know it we'll only be able to get him once. I have to make sure it's a lethal shot."_

**"Sasuke looks like he's getting ready to jump in. You might want to hurry up and land that killing shot."**

A quick Air Bullet took out the pursuing snake summon, and Naruto realized he had lost sight of Orochimaru. Damn!

Naruto had to get the job done with wits instead of pure power and speed this time. Orochimaru seemed to be even faster than Jiraiya, and Naruto was starting to doubt if his four-tail cloak would be enough.

Naruto spun hard, swinging the claws on his right hand in front of him as he did. The tip of a deadly blade grazed his cheek, deflected just enough by his spinning parry. Naruto growled audibly and launched himself at the other end of the extending blade. The smirking Sannin narrowed his eyes when Naruto's cut sealed itself shut.

The first two swipes Naruto took missed, but with a surge of chakra, he shot a small Drilling Air Bullet more compact and deadlier than its predecessor. It blew off Orochimaru left arm and continued through the tree behind him, shattering the massive trunk to splinters.

"Oh, not bad, Kyuubi!" the pale man taunted. He held his severed arm at its stump, and it reattached itself via a series of snakes.

**"That reattachment trick of his gives me an idea."**

_"Hit me with it,"_ Naruto jumped to a new branch as a Great Fireball destroyed his prior vantage point.

**"If you can grab his arm and sever it, he probably won't notice if you applied a Hirashin array to it before he got it back."**

Naruto saw Sasuke shoot off his own fireball, one Orochimaru easily dodged. Within the fire, however, were four spinning shuriken. Sasuke tugged at previously invisible ninja wires, and the shuriken redirected themselves into Orochimaru's upheld arms. A second fireball followed, and the Sannin was completely engulfed.

_"Well shit, maybe Sasuke managed it on his own!"_

**"It was a well-executed plan, as simple as it was."**

The charred body of Orochimaru seemed to split at the jaw. It unhinged like a snake's, and a pristine but slimy body of the Sannin emerged from the tear.

"My, my, Sasuke! I never would have expected you to make me resort to a rebirth technique! Oh, the possibilities I see for you, Uchiha…"

"That was disgusting," Sakura could be heard groaning.

Naruto sped forward halfway through the man's monologue, nearly grabbing him in the process. The Sannin turned to face him with a snide smirk, and Naruto bent backward to avoid a swung kunai. The snake summoner was too fast for Naruto to risk staying in close for too long.

Keeping one hand on Orochimaru's wrist, Naruto planted a hand on the ground and sprung his legs at the man's head. The move was unorthodox enough to catch the Sannin off guard, but he still didn't land more than a glancing strike to his chin. While upside down, though, Naruto cut through the captive arm at the shoulder and bounded away.

"That is starting to annoy me, young Naruto," the Sannin hissed between his teeth. The blow obviously hurt much more that time and Naruto figured that the rebirth technique must have eaten up a lot of chakra. "I see I'll have to stop playing nice. It's about time for me to move along as it is."

Naruto just managed to sneak a Hirashin array onto the armpit portion of the arm in his hands before he felt a massive blow to his gut. He hadn't even seen the man move, and he was suddenly in front of Naruto with a clawed hand planted on Kurama's seal.

Naruto felt the pain subside, and then triple. His vision blurred as he looked down at the hole in his thin shirt. He felt the cloak rapidly begin to subside as he realized what happened.

_"A five Element Seal! Kurama's is an eight, fuck I only have a few seconds of consciousness…"_

Just as the final tail of chakra was sputtering out of existence, Naruto routed what he could into his own fingertips for a hasty Five Element Unseal. He had a bit of practice with it, but he needed this to be both perfect and immediate.

Naruto took a deep, gasping breath as the seals canceled out and his links to Kurama reopened. Naruto momentarily fell to his knees as his senses slowly came back to him.

His hearing was first. It was Sakura's scream of, "Sasuke!"

Then his vision returned. Sakura had dived in front of the now injured Uchiha, but she was batted away trivially by the Sannin's foot. Then, Orochimaru's neck elongated in the crude mimicry of a snake's and bit Sasuke's own neck.

The next thing to come back was taste. Blood mixed with the intangible taste of hatred. Naruto tried his best to rise from the ground to exact his vengeance.

The fourth was the feeling in his limbs, which were leaden. Naruto dug deep and drew on five tails worth of power, consequences be damned.

As Naruto felt the cloak and his Presence erupt around him, he felt the tug of the Hirashin. Claws ripped into the Sannin's chest and wrenched ribs apart, rending his chest cavity open from behind. Naruto felt his heart throb in his grasp before he ripped it out. Another slippery organ brutally erupted due to the presence of Naruto's other hand. And finally, Naruto's fifth sense came back in the form of the sweet smell of his target's blood. Naruto hurled the bloody corpse away, destroying almost every other bone left in the limp body as it met with three other trees.

Naruto released the cloak, and once again fell to his knees gasping for breath. Sakura limped over to her two male teammates, and Naruto noticed the unconscious Sasuke.

"Naruto, you… you did it," her voice came out with great effort, and she was obviously in pain. Likely a few broken ribs from that kick, and whatever happened to her leg in the resulting tumble.

"Sakura," Naruto started groggily, still panting for whatever air he could get. "Heal your ribs and your leg, we have to move. I'll carry Sasuke when you're finished. There's no way that my Presence went unnoticed."

"I don't have the chakra for all my injuries, much less what Sasuke will have," Sakura's voice was pained, her arms holding the ribs that likely caused it.

"Hold on," a forgotten voice called out. Karin hobbled her way to the duo using a broken section of branch. There were plenty lying around. "I have enough chakra to at least heal your ribs, but I won't be able to move much afterward. Naruto saved me, so it's the least I can do," she insisted.

Sakura looked understandably cautious. Karin held out an arm marked by bite, and a nod from a nearly recovered Naruto reassured her.

Karin slumped to the ground and Sakura breathed easier, her ribs now borderline fine.

"Sakura, heal your leg, and if you have the chakra heal Karin's ankle. I'll prepare some chakra, but we have to get out of here and get Sasuke to cover," Naruto's voice had regained its usual authority.

Sakura set to work on her knee while Karin watched Naruto in confusion. He pulled out a brush and small vial of ink. Naruto scribbled a pair of strange looking storage seal on his left wrist and set his tools away. Sakura finished up her leg and set to work on Karin's as Naruto shut his eyes and the seals glowed a soft blue.

"What are…?" Karin could hardly speak through her exhaustion. From her position on the ground, she saw Naruto place a hand on his teammate's neck. And to her astonishment, one of the seals dispersed onto her skin.

Naruto then moved his hand to Karin's forehead. Karin felt a warm, surge of chakra that was so unmistakably _Naruto._ She only had one thought, _'He knows Uzumaki sealing techniques too…"_

"Let's move," Naruto ordered as he scooped up Sasuke.

The girls followed in silent awe of the blond shinobi.

* * *

Anko felt the surge of angry chakra, no one could miss it. She was already on her way towards its general location, but now she moved at double speed. That could only have been either Orochimaru or Naruto. The kid was good, but he didn't really stand much of a chance yet.

A tree in front of her seemed to implode, and a body came flying through it at crazy speeds. A body she was all too familiar with.

"Huh. I guess the brat was holding out on me after all!" Anko chirped as she jaunted towards the corpse of her former sensei. There was no way he could be alive when missing most of the organs in his chest. And the bones. Oh, and most of the blood. This was one death she wouldn't forget, and she was already getting excited over it. Someone at the bar was going to get lucky tonight….

Then he moved. Not so much moved but shifted. His corpse _shifted_ , and his jaw unhinged. Anko stood in morbid fascination as she puzzled over the new development. When she saw his head poke out of _his own mouth,_ she realized what was happening. He finished his rebirth jutsu, and he was using it now to escape death. He slipped out of his old body, shaking, gasping, but alive. And he winked at Anko.

In a fit of fury, Anko released a massive dragon made of fire at him, and a mud clone behind her threw various poisoned senbon in case of him dodging. The fire cleared, and only the ashes of his first mangled body remained. He had escaped, likely below ground. Anko had a fire affinity, so she had no real way of getting to him, or even tracking him. Damnit.

Anko felt the presence of six more shinobi approach her. Fucking ANBU couldn't be a bit earlier, could they?

* * *

Naruto dropped Sasuke down onto the hard ground, exhausted from the fight as well as traveling with his friend. Karin had agreed to help them out as much as she could, scouting the area out for chakra signatures being her main job. Sakura laced their new hiding spot in a layer of genjutsu, and Naruto had a pair of clones trap the perimeter.

"Sakura go ahead and check Sasuke over and heal what you can. Let me know if you need more chakra," Naruto said as he slumped against the fallen log they chose to rest against.

Sakura moved to do so, laying Sasuke out spread eagle on the ground. Karin inched her way closer to Naruto, looking as if she was about to burst at the seams. Naruto allowed his eyes to close and waited for her to break the ensuing silence.

_"Thanks for helping me out back there even though you wanted me to do this exam on my own."_

**"I hardly think entering a deathmatch with one of the Sannin counts as part of the Chunin Exams, kit. I'll help you with anything regarding Orochimaru, but the exam itself is on you."**

_"Thank you, you big softie."_

**"You are aware that I'm still capable of destroying you and everything you love?"**

_"Capable doesn't mean willing."_

"Naruto?" Karin finally said.

**"About time."**

"Yes, Karin?" Naruto cracked a single eye, ignoring the beast within him.

"How did you come to learn about our Clan's sealing style?" she asked with a touch of excitement.

Naruto shut his eye again. "Found some scrolls. Studied. Practiced. And ta-daa! Seals."

Karin wouldn't be satisfied with such a response however, "Okay, but what was the deal with giving Sakura and I chakra?"

Sakura twitched at the mention of her name but otherwise continued to work her hands up Sasuke's torso slowly. Naruto was sure that in the past she would be unable to do so with her clothes still on. Wait, that's an Ero-sennin thought.

"The actual seal was pretty simple. It was just a storage seal with an inlaid Four Symbols Seal to hold a set amount of chakra. Once I filled them it was just an easy Uzumaki Style Seal/Chakra Transfer. Not the hardest thing I've done with the ritual…"

Karin looked impressed, but before she could continue her interrogation Sakura spoke up. "Naruto, I hope you know your seals, because Orochimaru put one on Sasuke's neck."

_"FUCK."_

**"FUCK. I'll lend you the chakra, this falls under the deal."**

"Fuck," Naruto repeated out loud as he sat up. "Okay, I have to take of it before he wakes up. This is going to suck…"

Naruto groaned as he stood, prompting Karin and Sakura to give him space to work. When Naruto saw the seal, he sighed in relief. It was the Same as Anko's, the Curse Mark of Heaven. No doubt that evil son of a bitch had modified and upgraded it over the years, so Naruto wasn't going to let the first activation happen just to be safe.

Naruto didn't bother with the long process of the Evil Containment seal, instead just preparing a Five Element Unseal in one hand and a Four Element Seal in the other. He was using that one a lot lately…

Naruto placed the Four Symbols first, and then immediately removed the security placed by Orochimaru. The same seal as Anko's, good thing the Sannin wasn't aware of Naruto's ability. Naruto then created a pair of shadow clones and looked to the girls.

"I'm going to transfer the seal onto one of my clones. If my second clone isn't fast enough to pop it, you will have to do it yourselves."

They nodded and gulped visibly.

Naruto laid a hand on Sasuke's seal and on his clone's neck. The familiar feeling of darkness moving through him, using him as a conduit left Naruto feeling the chills. Kurama started to pitch in, turning any visible chakra red. Soon Sasuke was completely free of the seal, and the first of the markings touched the clone.

This is where the first difference came into play. The clone immediately popped, causing a swell of fear to surge within everyone conscious. The second clone moved quickly to put itself under the original's palm, but he also didn't last. Naruto was now maintaining the Transfer ritual with no living target to put the seal. The chakra drain was starting to really tax him.

**"We have one option left. Release the ritual, and let's deal with the consequences ourselves."**

Naruto really didn't want to do so, but it was indeed the last remaining viable option. Naruto took a breath, smiled at the two girls who stared in abject horror of the failed plan, and released the Transfer ritual. And immediately blacked out.

* * *

Naruto sat up in front of Kurama's cage. It was a sight that he was somewhat familiar with, but something was off. To be precise, the floor next to the Kyuubi was glowing an ominous purple and had various kanji scrawled across it.

"Well at least whatever happens is on your side," Naruto joked aloud.

**"Yes,"** Kurama chuckled deeply, **"It makes things much easier for me."**

Naruto watched in amusement as he saw Orochimaru's hands emerge from the purple mass. The soul fragment of the snake Sannin emerged facing Naruto, smirking in triumph unknowing of the danger behind him.

"Naruto? I don't remember marking you, but this is all the better!" Orochimaru practically drooled in anticipation. "I see you've managed to erect a kind of prison for me, that is very impressive for one so young. I commend you, but you should know that it will never hold me.

Naruto laughed aloud at this, confusing the snake summoner. "Oh, silly pedophile!" that earned a frown, "I didn't make this prison, and it surely wasn't for you." Naruto's smile only grew.

Orochimaru looked even more baffled as Kurama gave his own toothy version of a smile. **"His father made it. For me."**

If Orochimaru could get any paler, he surely would have at that point. Naruto swore he could see the majority of his organs drop to his toes in fear. All three of The Sannin may be famous and powerful, but they would be absolutely insane to think they could solo a Biju. Much less the _Kyuubi._ Priceless.

Kurama stabbed a single claw through a fleeing Orochimaru's thigh as he said, **"You can head back out, Naruto. I'll take care of this problem here,"** a concentrated blast of red chakra utterly destroyed the seal on the floor, **"at my leisure. It's been so long since I've had entertainment!"**

Naruto began to phase back to the waking world to the sounds of high-pitched screams and dark, foreboding laughter.

* * *

Naruto sat up in the real world smiling despite his weariness. That was the most chakra he had ever used within the span of an hour ever, enough to last some ninja a lifetime and some Kage a few battles.

Naruto immediately noticed that he was in the hollow alone, and then groaned at the prospect of more fighting. He wasn't one to run from fights, but he was tired for Kami's sake!

Naruto walked out of the small hollow and into the clearing that was previously laced with Sakura's genjutsu. He was more than a little surprised to see Sakura cleaning her hands of blood and Sasuke standing over two ninja from Sound. Karin watched from afar in appreciation.

"Wow. What'd I miss?" Naruto asked.

"Eh, Karin saw these dumbasses coming in. The girl there got caught in one of your traps and almost lost a leg, so Sakura is healing her up. I knocked out these two while they were confused by Sakura's genjutsu. So not much," Sasuke said in a bored voice.

The girl Sakura had helped out was the only ones conscious, so Naruto asked her his questions. "What are your names?"

She almost didn't respond, but eventually spat out, "I'm Kin. That one is Zaku, and the guy in bandages is our leader Dosu. Happy?"

Naruto looked over the team and his own team. Deciding that Sound seriously wasn't a threat to them, he said, "Let them live. We have what we need, let's just get to the tower. I have quite a bit to speak to the Hokage about."

Naruto's tone left no room for discussion, and before Kin realized it, she was alone with her two unconscious teammates. "Figures I'm the only one good enough to have noticed the genjutsu. Idiots."

* * *

Naruto sat in Team 7's assigned sleeping quarters alone with the Hokage. The rest of his team was eating, and Karin was granted special permission by the Hokage to join them until Naruto was able to tell of the events.

"Why is it whenever there's trouble you seem to be at the center of it?" Hiruzen mumbled around his pipe with a small smile.

"Because I'm good enough to handle the problem," Naruto lifted his chin in mock arrogance, getting a light laugh from his grandfather figure.

"I know Orochimaru has been active. Please tell me that your team didn't run into any troubles of his."

"I can't really say anything about what happened then," Naruto gave a cheeky smile.

Hiruzen gave a heavy sigh and then gestured with his hand to continue.

"Everything started off according to plan, and we had the scroll we needed in under an hour," Naruto began, losing all pretense of amusement in tone. "I then rescued Karin Uzumaki from a bear, and her last name is something I wish to have a separate discussion about."

Hiruzen nodded.

"After returning to the area Sasuke and I left Sakura with a pair of clones, I found that the two of them were in the middle of fighting Orochimaru."

The old Sarutobi started cursing under his breath.

"I promptly hid the injured Karin and took over the fight, since I'm the only one with previous experience fighting a Sannin, albeit at a much lower standard. I used the maximum of Kurama's chakra I could without alerting nearby teams in case I attracted vultures, and managed to sever an arm. Following the reattachment of the arm, Sasuke managed to effectively 'kill' the target, but Orochimaru showed some sort of rebirth jutsu or technique that allowed him to emerge unscathed from his previous corpse. I took the arm again and started the plan that would have killed him again."

"He had been working on such techniques for years, even before he lost his way," Hiruzen said lowly. Naruto knew that Orochimaru was a sore spot for the old man, and he did his best to sympathize.

"Afterwards, Orochimaru revealed that he had not been truly fighting us, and promptly applied a seal to me which cut my access to Kurama and would have knocked me out if I hadn't applied the counter seal in time. In the few seconds that I was recovering, he managed to injure Sakura and apply a curse mark to Sasuke. I chose to overlook the consequence of utilizing more of Kurama's power and then killed Orochimaru again. The mark was different from Anko's, but I still managed to remove it via similar means. While I recovered my team defeated one other team, and we then made our way here."

Hiruzen just stared at Naruto numbly for a bit, and then went to sit on one of the empty beds. "Naruto, sometimes I wish I could just tie you to Jiraiya so you'd stay out of trouble, but you always somehow make the situation better."

"I like to think it's a hidden talent," Naruto added helpfully.

"Well, as long as I'm here I should tell you that Anko was in pursuit. She saw Orochimaru emerge much the same way you described, so he can use his rebirth jutsu at least twice. He promptly fled though," the Third told Naruto. Naruto only nodded in understanding. He didn't really think he had truly killed the man despite the damage he dealt.

"Do you have time to discuss Karin?" Naruto asked tentatively.

"I would like nothing more than to be thirty years younger and drunk after what you've told me, but we may as well," Hiruzen slapped his knees as he prepared for another discussion with the blond.

"Well, she is definitely an Uzumaki, she has one of the bloodlines described in my scrolls," Naruto started.

"And I assume you would like her to be transferred to Konoha to live with you once you take over the compound, and you've already spoken to her and gotten her approval and left the dirty work to me?"

**"He knows you well."**

"Uh, well, yeah. Pretty much that exactly," Naruto scratched the back of his head.

"She's one of Kusa's best healers, I'll have to give up a pretty decent med-nin to get them to agree," Hiruzen pondered the situation aloud.

"But you could do it?" Naruto asked excitedly.

"I don't doubt it. I hope you're ready for the responsibilities of being a clan head though…" the Third's tone was light and joking at that.

"Eh, it'll work out eventually. Probably.

"Now, go eat and rest up in case we have preliminaries."

Naruto gave a mock salute, "Sir, yes sir!"

* * *

Naruto stood on the floor of the arena with his team, surrounded by the other passing teams. Naruto looked at the opposition, and he was pleased to see that Konoha was the most represented by far. Aside from team 7, Team 8, Team Gai, and Kabuto's team made it past the forest trials. It was a bit sad that Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji didn't make it, but the competition was pretty stiff.

The teams from both Iwa and Kumo made it, but that didn't surprise Naruto since they were comprised of their respective village's brightest prospects. Gaara's team was present, and he didn't look like the extra sleep was helping him too much. The sound team had made it as well, so their roadblock of Team 7 didn't stop them.

"Hello, I'm Hayate Gekko, and I'll be your proctor for the preliminary rounds," the man then coughed into his hand.

"Preliminary rounds?" Kiba shouted. "Some of us just got here! We're exhausted!"

"Tough," Hayate followed this with another fit of coughing. "Not even half of you were supposed to pass this phase of the exams, so we'll have to thin things out. We'll still have a massive finals round, but it'll be a bit more manageable."

He gathered genin grumbled, but no one spoke up after that. "Anyone that doesn't feel like they can continue fighting may bow out now, because things will only get harder from here."

A ragged looking Kabuto limped off to the side, raising his arm to announce his defeat. That ended up giving making the total number of remaining participants odd and would give one person a free ride, but no one really seemed to care.

"If you look to the board you will see the first round of preliminaries. I need everyone except the two people shown to please to go to the spectating balcony."

Shown first on the board was Naruto vs. Lee, and both boys gave each other massive smiles

The show was about to begin.


	21. Chapter 21

Naruto stood staring at an excited Lee, and Naruto actually felt his nerves start to rise. Could Naruto kill him? Yes. Would he? Kami no. With that being said, Lee would be one hell of a challenge to put down definitively without resorting to drastic measures. Also, Naruto wanted to have some fun with the fight…

"Yosh! Friend Naruto! Are you prepared to have a most youthful bout?" Lee's usually loud voice met Naruto's ears.

"You know it, Lee," Naruto couldn't help but smile back at the boy. "You know you'll have to take off your weights, right? We aren't pulling any punches this time."

"That is a splendid idea! Thank you for reminding me!" Lee then sat to remove his leg warmers in front of a puzzled Hayate.

In the stands, one could almost hear confused mumblings about a few pounds of extra weight, but they soon turned to prolonged gasps of shock as Lee casually tossed the weights up against the wall. The poor rock ended up with a pair of spider webbing cracks, and the dust flew from the impact.

"I am now ready!" Lee stood flashing both his teeth and thumbs, the former almost sparkling. Naruto learned to look over the little non-genjutsu-but-totally-a-genjutsu.

"In that case, are both challengers ready to begin?" Hayate coughed into a fist. A nod from the two genin was the response before the proclaimed, "Begin!"

Just as Naruto suspected, Lee disappeared. Naruto couldn't sense him yet, especially since Lee wasn't augmenting himself with chakra. All Naruto could do was stand perfectly still and try to time his green-clad friend's entrance.

"Leaf Hurricane!"

Predictable. Naruto dropped to a squat, placed a hand on the ground, and threw a makeshift donkey kick up behind him. Lee's wide, sweeping kick missed and Naruto's heel met his jaw firmly. Naruto didn't have time to follow up, however, as Lee recovered quickly and spun into a backflip using the hit as a boost. Naruto knew he was defenseless, and he could only prepare his body for the impact.

Lee's second, flipping kick landed. Hard. Even braced, Naruto felt the other boy's shin bury itself in his stomach, and the sheer strength behind the blow launched the blond into the wall next to the weights.

_"_ _Sweet Kami he hits like a Bear. Scratch that, he hits way harder than Jerry ever did!"_ Kurama's chuckle was the only response as Naruto pulled himself out of the rubble and dust. Onlookers stared in awe at the damage a single kick did, and Naruto had to remind himself that not even a minute had passed.

Naruto hid a shadow clone in the rubble, and he showed his own speed at rush back towards his opponent. He wasn't fast enough to land the first hit, but it did start off a furious taijutsu bout.

Both boys lost themselves in the heat of the moment. Lee standing firm and lashing out with ferocious blows, enough to incapacitate most people. Naruto weaving around the strikes instead of foolishly blocking, throwing in jabs, swipes, and kicks wherever openings were left.

Part of the benefits of working the Hirashin that Naruto had picked up was an improved Kawarimi. Instead of being limited to his line of sight, he could swap spots with anything his chakra was tied to. Namely, his clone that was underground. When Lee landed a shattering straight punch to Naruto's chest and sent the blond flying once more, Lee vanished from sight again. Naruto made the switch and waited underground as his clone took a vicious falling ax kick to the back.

As Lee's eye's widened in the smoke, Naruto emerged from underground leading with a chakra enhanced uppercut. The shot landed under Lee's chin, blasting him backward. In all honesty, Naruto had killed using less chakra than that, but Lee took it like it was normal.

Naruto followed up as soon as he could, inhaling for a Great Breakthrough as soon as his punch landed and he could redirect his chakra. Naruto exhaled the jutsu with milliseconds to spare of Lee touching ground.

It was Lee's turn to ragdoll, and he did so violently. Naruto's wind threw him tumbling end over end, limbs flailing as they smashed into the hard ground over and over again before Lee met the opposite wall in a crude mimicry of Naruto's impact. Naruto let his jutsu die after a solid few seconds of pressing Lee into the rock, hoping that was the end of it. It would be hard to hit him any harder without risking serious injuries. Even now, Lee should have more than a few broken bones. A normal genin would be a red paste.

Right around the five-minute mark, Lee stood up from his wind-made crater. Haggard, hurt, but still to the various cheers of the crowd, Lee threw his trademark thumbs and grin. "Naruto! I thought that only Neji would push me this far, but it is clear that I will have to use my secret weapon to defeat you!"

Naruto tilted his head in confusion but took a defensive stance nonetheless.

"Gai-sensei!" Lee cried out, never breaking his gaze on Naruto. "This is for you! Although I will keep it at three to avoid killing my youthful comrade!"

**"** **Naruto if he's talking about what I think he is you're likely screwed to all hell."**

Before Naruto could question him further, Lee crossed his arms in an odd stance. "Gate of Opening! Open!"

And Naruto saw a horrifying sight. Something he never wished upon his worst enemies. Lee stood in place, surrounded in an angry, swirling vortex. Of chakra.

**"** **Gai taught him the Eight Gates! Naruto, I still won't help you, but you have to stop him now!"**

Naruto did the only thing he could think of to reach Lee in time. Naruto summoned a clone behind him, and had the clone apply the Gale Palm technique across Naruto's body, and then hit Naruto with a controlled Breakthrough as the original blond took off in a burst of speed that left the ground dusted.

Onlookers, namely Team 7, had never seen Naruto fight at this capacity before, and Sasuke had his full Mangekyo activated to follow the speeds of the fight. Even with it on, Naruto's top jutsu assisted speed was nearly impossible to follow.

Sasuke saw Naruto just make contact with Lee's cheek as the green genin exploded in yet _another_ burst of chakra with a yell about opening the 'Gate of Rest'. The chakra launched Naruto off course enough that he burrowed into the wall. Wasn't that the guy who wasn't supposed to be able to use chakra?

Naruto felt Lee's second explosion of energy throw him off course, only giving Lee a glancing blow to the chin. Naruto managed to soften the impact of the stone wall with a chakra enhanced elbow, but he had no time to rest. A quick shot of presence and a dozen clones bought Naruto time to dig his way out of the wall while Lee was somewhat distracted.

Naruto got out in time to see the genin effortlessly dispose of the last of the clones before dipping back down into what Naruto dubbed his 'release stance'. Naruto dashed forward while reaching for one of his best-premade tags, a nearly perfect paralysis seal capable of subduing most jonin, maybe even Jiraiya.

Naruto slapped the seal on Lee's forehead just before Naruto expected the next release. Naruto reached for a kunai to end the fight in a submission, and he noticed that all of Lee's injuries were now gone, and the Genin was shaking in place. A bad sign indicating preparation of breaking Naruto's seal tag.

Naruto moved forward to try and finish the match, but Lee had other plans. His arms flew to his sides, the Seal disintegrated, and Naruto heard only one thing before he felt pain. "Gate of Life! OPEN!"

Naruto dropped his kunai as a glowing fist met his sternum, breaking several bones in Naruto's chest. As Naruto clutched his injury, another blow met his face, an odd looking yet extremely painful kick that sent Naruto nearly straight into the air.

Long before Naruto reached the zenith of the rise, he felt himself getting wrapped up in Lee's bandages. And then… they were spinning and barreling towards the ground in what Lee called a Front Lotus.

If Lee could do this kind of shit he can handle Naruto's big boy jutsu.

Naruto was thankful for not needing hand signs for this jutsu anymore and let out the biggest Great Breakthrough he could manage, straight at the incoming ground. Lee couldn't overpower the force of the air and simply spun in place, kicking up dirt and dust in a rapidly growing tornado.

Naruto took the opportunity to try a last-ditch idea to free himself, and he used a combination of leaf exercises to cut the bandages along his arms. It worked in a few places, since using the tenketsu anywhere but his hands was difficult, but it was enough.

With the bandages already ripped, Naruto's arms spun out and smashed into the side of Lee's head. Naruto then shot an Air Bullet at him, but it had no hope of hitting. At this point, Naruto had two choices: work with what he's shown already or fall back on more shadow clones and a bigger jutsu. As much as he hated showing his competitors what he could do, Naruto had to resort to option two.

Two clones later, Lee had to avoid double Air bullet by jumping hard left. From there, the original Naruto shot a medium powered Pressure Damage off, trying to intercept his opponent. Lee, of course, managed to avoid the brunt of the damage, but Naruto was counting on the resulting explosion to get him. It did.

Lee rag-dolled over the ground once more, smashing his head several times on his tumultuous path towards Naruto. Naruto leaped at him and struck his head again with a powerful lunging knee, and a pair of clones held the now-gateless boy down. Naruto knelt on his chest and held a single kunai to his throat, waiting for the yield.

Lee looked up at Naruto… and to the left of him. And then to the right. "Henlo, I yellow. Prostrate! I am yellowing now!" and Lee's head fell back to the dirt, his eyes following the pretty random patterns of a severe concussion.

"He means he's yielding," Naruto said loudly, getting the attention of the proctor and the awestruck crowd.

"Winner, Naruto Uzumaki," Hayate coughed out.

With that, medical teams rushed onto the field and immediately went towards Lee. He was very friendly and greeted each of them cheerfully as Naruto waved off his own offered aid and made his way to Team 7.

"I think the system is rigged, we opened up with two of the strongest genin here," Sakura joked as she saw her blond teammate approach.

"How the hell do you expect us to top that?" Sasuke grunted in good humor. He smirked when he saw Naruto grasp at his chest and groan.

"There's no way anyone else would have been able to stop that guy, holy shit," Naruto said and gestured for Sakura to patch him up. "I'll give back whatever chakra you use on me, just thought you'd like the practice."

Team 7's only female member grinned and set to work on the broken sternum and few ribs.

"Next participants, please make your way to the field!"

Up next was that Dosu guy from Sound and someone named Tsuchi from Iwa. Naruto noticed the other teams making their way over to him, hopefully, to congratulate him.

"Naruto, I knew you kicked ass but that was awesome!" Kiba called out.

"You were very impressive," Hinata said quietly, and Shino nodded in agreement. "I hope I can do so well in my match."

As the teens spoke, Dosu ended up smashing through an Earth Wall with the sound from his arms. That Tsuchi guy would really have to step it up soon. His Earth Spear looked pretty strong at least.

"So what's up with this Tsuchi guy, anyway?" Kiba asked, breaking the semi-silence of the group. "I mean I get that he's from Iwa but really? Tsuchi?"

"It is Iwagakure custom to name children found without names Tsuchi. It isn't usually expected of them to amount to much, I deduce that this boy is not the norm," Shino answered smoothly. His voice always seemed so flat to Naruto, but he was cool enough.

"That's kind of sad," Sakura mentioned offhandedly. She immediately followed her statement with a hard flinch, one that Hinata matched. Dosu had cornered the other genin and shot him into the ground with some kind of pressurized attack. He'd be lucky to get up from that one.

"This fight was way less entertaining than yours and Lee's, Naruto," a new voice spoke up as it approached. Tenten smiled as she joined the small group, greeting everyone in turn.

"How is Lee?" Naruto asked her.

"He'll be alright, it's not like there was ever too much in his head anyway," Tenten joked.

There was a bit of idle chatter amongst the Konoha shinobi as Tsuchi was carried off the field and new names were chosen.

"Where's Neji?" Hinata asked Tenten.

"He's over there somewhere preparing to 'enact the will of Fate'. You know how he can be," Tenten's reply seemed exasperated. Considering her two entirely differing teammates you couldn't really blame her.

The next names called were Kiba and Atsui. Kiba accepted his good wishes and ran down the stairs with Akamaru.

* * *

Kiba stood firm with Akamaru at his side, staring down a smirking Atsui.

"Is a bunch of kids really all the great Konoha has to offer?" the blond swordsman taunted.

"Just cause you're older doesn't mean you're better, jackass," Kiba retorted hotly, backed up by Akamaru's yips.

"Age has nothing to do with it, dog breath. I'm just better than you period!" Atsui drew his katana.

"I take it you're both ready then. In that case, begin!" Hayate told them before backing off.

"Let's see how well your sword holds up!" Kiba shouted, charging forward while Akamaru lagged behind him. Kiba slipped an inconspicuous pill out of a pouch and dropped it behind him, which Akamaru snatched out of the air.

"Idiot," Atsui chuckled lowly and swung at the running Kiba.

Kiba slid to his knees, under the blade and behind his opponent, and Atsui was more than surprised at seeing a second Kiba coming. Then, that second Kiba started spinning, and to avoid a hazardous blow Atsui brought up the flat of his blade to try and reflect the spinning beast clone.

Kiba, however, was back on his feet and now looking at the back of Atsui. Kiba started his own spin and shot towards the unassuming blond teenager. Somehow Atsui sensed him getting closer and managed to twist just enough to avoid a direct shot, and his left side was shredded more than a little bit by Kiba.

Jumping away for some breathing room, Atsui took stock of the dual Kiba's.

"How'd you like our staggered Passing Fang?" Kiba called out, getting in what taunts he could.

Atsui only smiled confidently, "You aren't as hot as you think you are, kid. That was slow, and it won't work again."

Kiba only growled and shot himself forward once more, but Atsui truly was ready this time. A swift dodge and quick strike later, Kiba was limping with a long, burnt gash in his thigh.

"What the hell? Why does this burn?"

"I'm just starting the training for it, but I can channel my fire element through my sword. You're lucky I'm new to this or you'd be a burnt crisp, kid. Now that's hot!"

And Atsui strode forward with that statement, slashing with the utmost control at the stumbling Kiba. Kiba eventually maneuvered him over well enough that Akamaru had another shot, but Atsui dodged again and leaped back.

"Fine. Looks like it's all or nothing before I can't walk boy," Kiba muttered as Atsui flew back and Akamaru regained his footing.

Seemingly without a signal, both Kiba's shot forward in bigger corkscrews than before. The coordinated attack tore up the ground as it passed over itself in a confusing manner. "Fang Passing Fang!"

Atsui did not balk. He held his blade in front of him steadily, and the heat could be seen coming off of it. Atsui then danced between the passing corkscrews, slashing at both as they passed. There was no smell of burning flesh or fur though, the Inuzuka jutsu protecting them that much at the least.

Kiba did not come out unscathed, however, and toppled to the ground a ways away from the Kumo nin. Atsui saw his chance, and he lunged with a powerful thrust at the boy's exposed back, ready to take his life.

And then his sword was on the ground and his hand was stinging, the proctor in front of him with his own sword drawn. Atsui had no idea how he did it, but the match must have been over.

"Winner, Atsui of team Samui."

* * *

In the stands, the rest of the Kumo team mumbled to themselves. Omoi, in particular, was feeling chatty, "Your brother did good, Samui. But, what if he hadn't? And then he might have lost! And then what if his wounds had been really severe and he—"

"That's enough, Omoi," Karui scowled. "We don't need your useless babbling. He fought well, he won."

"True," the dark-skinned boy popped a sucker into his mouth.

"I am proud of him, but he still has to learn to talk less and fight more. His temper will be the end of him one day," the oldest, and bustiest, member of the group said.

"It worked out in the end, can't we just be happy for him?" 

* * *

"Kiba," Hinata muttered under her breath. The rest of the gathered Konoha genin looked at her with a bit of empathy, it was never easy watching a teammate get beaten. Naruto squeezed her hand but remained quiet, giving her what support he could.

Kiba was helped off the field to get his cuts and burns treated, and Akamaru was carried with him. There was a wave of realization that seemed to sweep over the majority of the rookies. They could get really hurt here. They could die here.

Before anyone knew what was happening, the next fighters were headed down to the ring.

"Do you guys think we should go check on Kiba?" Sakura asked hesitantly. A round of quiet approvals signaled the group to shuffle their way to the stairs as Karui and Kankuro squared off. Naruto left a clone at the railing to scout the competition while they were gone.

Once everyone got to the room Kiba and Akamaru were being held in they gasped at the sight of their friend. It was almost… inhumane. Akamaru was getting the same treatment, but he wasn't fighting as hard.

"I'm fine, Kami damn it!" Kiba shouted as he struggled to leave his bed. Three nurses held him down, avoiding his bad leg. "Let me go watch people beat the shit out of each other!"

Everyone's head shook almost in unison, Kiba was fine. Konoha had some of the best med nins in the Elemental Nations, and it looked like they had patched most of him up already.

"I should go handle my teammate," Hinata sighed and stepped forward. Naruto smiled, already having a vague idea of what was about to happen. "Excuse me, Nurse. I'll help calm him down."

"Wait, Hinata what are you doing here? No, I'm fine! PLEASE."

Hinata poked her shaggy teammate in five different places. The base of each thigh, both shoulders, and the side of his neck. Kiba groaned and went completely limp, one arm now draped over his chest in a comical position. Hinata sighed and stepped back, letting the nurses shift Kiba into a more natural position.

"Damn, Hinata," Kiba slurred out. "You know I hate this!"

The rest of the rookies chuckled or giggled to themselves, relieved that Kiba's mood was unchanged by defeat.

"It is good to see you maintain high spirits," Shino said evenly. Coming from him though it was pretty high praise.

"Eh, he got a lucky shot!" the now paralyzed boy said. "He barely cut through the Gatsuuga, I just messed up my leg doing it is all."

Naruto was sure Kiba would have crossed his arms if he could move.

"And the burns?" Sasuke questioned.

"Pretty minor the medic said. Hurt pretty bad, but nothing I couldn't have worked through if he didn't go for that cheap shot in the end."

"You know ninjas make their living out of sneak attacks and cheap shots, right?" Tenten asked him.

"I'm just saying," Kiba then huffed.

"Hey, guys. The match up top just ended. Karui won, she's another pretty good kenjutsu user. Sakura and someone named Kin are up next."

"You guys go ahead, thanks for stopping by. Let me know how everything goes since I can't MOVE or anything."

"You'll be fine in an hour, you crybaby," Hinata huffed as she followed a laughing Naruto out the door. 

* * *

Sakura stood across from Kin, readying herself for another fight with the girl.

"Alright, Pinky! Your team isn't here to save you now!"

Sakura was a bit confused at that. "Um, I beat you on my own, remember? Your teammates fell into my genjutsu and I took you out while Sasuke handled them?"

Kin looked around and scoffed, "Okay maybe. But now, I'm going to show you what real genjutsu is! This won't even be a real genjutsu battle, I am a master of my craft!"

Hayate looked at the raving Kin with more than a little irritation. "You know you guys could just fight instead of yelling at each other right?" Kin drew a handful of senbon and Sakura got into an offensive taijutsu stance, holding a kunai. "Alright, Sakura Haruno vs. Kin, begin!"

Sakura and Kin immediately threw their weapons, and both dodged accordingly. Sakura took immediate notice of the few senbon with bells attached and missed the silent ones that were soon embedded in her leg. A quick tug was all they required since they hit nothing important.

"Already taking damage? Ha! I haven't even started my genjutsu yet!" Kin taunted.

Sakura then heard a slight ringing, and she knew the real reason for the bells. Sound-based genjutsu. Deadly to those who don't know about it. Buuuut she did.

"This is the only time I'm going to thank Naruto for snoring so loud!" Sakura called out, aiming her words more at her team than at her opponent.

Sakura dipped both hands into pouches, and one hand let shuriken fly while the other dug even longer.

"What's your game, Pinky?" Kin muttered, easily dodging the distractions sent her way.

Sakura triumphantly pulled out a pair of earplugs, negating any chance of the sound genjutsu affecting her. Naruto slammed his head onto the railing.

Kin cursed, and then ironically noticed more than a few sakura petals floating about. Low-level genjutsu, one with no chance of fooling her Kin broke it and ducked, allowing the shuriken from behind her to pass by harmlessly. Sakura using sakura petals in a genjutsu. Fitting.

Kin turned to see the pink haired kunoichi charging at her, another rain of Sakura petals floating down in front of her. Kin rolled her eyes at the idiotic trick, finally realizing how pathetic this girl really was. Kin brought her hand up to release the genjutsu but somehow failed.

And then Sakura planted a powerful fist into the side of Kin's astonished head. A real kicker, since the petals were real and a decoy for her charge. Naruto had shown her how to channel chakra to her limbs for more than speed, and here it showed. That punch easily broke the other girl's jaw, knocking her out and winning Sakura the match. Sakura smiled, and thought to herself, ' _and I have such little chakra to throw around… I wonder how hard Naruto can actually hit. I have to get better with this!'_

"Winner, Sakura of Konoha!"

Sakura left the arena to the cheers of her friends, smiling at her victory. She had made it into the finals! 

* * *

Shino followed Sakura's performance, although after he discovered that Temari specialized in long-range wind techniques he promptly conceded. His only shot at a win would have been laying down a trap and trying to draw her over it, but she seemed content to stand still so Shino gave up the win.

After Shino came Yoroi and Zaku, which after the first minute became a heavily one-sided fight that Zaku dominated. He had some sort of body modification that allowed him to shoot air or sound from his hands. Naruto wasn't too sure, but he didn't pay him too much thought either.

The final Kumo team member was up against Tenten. Omoi was the youngest of that group, but he toted a sword like the rest of them did. Not really the best matchup for him…

Tenten drew her own katana, in the beginning, to truly test the kid, but he proved to be her equal in the art. And then Tenten did what she does best and flung everything she had at him. To the dark-skinned boy's credit, he managed to block or dodge the majority of the weapons, but Tenten followed the hail of metal wielding a sword breaking mace that finished the cut up Kumo genin.

Sasuke's fight was hardly a fight at all.

"You shall feel the wrath of the Kumizuru clan!" the Iwa boy threatened.

"You only go by your clan name?" Sasuke asked, looking the genin up and down.

"We were shamed by Konoha in the last war, and no longer take on personal names to show our dishonor. I will be the change of that!"

In the stands, Shino went into more depth about the rivalry between the Aburame and the Kamizuru. Both were bug users, and Shino's clan apparently decimated their Iwa counterparts in the last war.

"Yeah, okay," Sasuke shrugged. He had started to pick up Naruto's indifference to weaker enemies and no longer enjoyed chatting with them.

"Begin!"

Sasuke's eyes flashed red, and Kumizuru spread his arms to let a horde of bees surround him. The boys locked fierce eyes, a testament to the fierce battle to come.

And then Kumizuru turned to his left, sent his insects rushing forward into the empty space, and started a fierce taijutsu match with his shadow.

The stands erupted into laughter as Sasuke told Hayate, "I can kill him whenever I want now, do I win or do I have to draw blood?"

Hayate only shook his head at the Uchiha. Leave it to one of them to dominate with genjutsu. "Winner, Sasuke Uchiha!"

The last fight was the one everyone was most anxious for. Neji Hyuuga and Hinata. When that matchup came up, Naruto knew that the fights were definitely fixed at least a little. The people behind it wanted there to be a healthy variety in the exams to show off, so one of the Byakugan users had to go.

Naruto leaned hard against the rail. _"Kurama, please give me two-tails if I have to stop this. Just to move fast enough."_

**"** **You can count on it. I like her too, you know. You picked an okay mate, kit."**

* * *

Down on the arena floor, Hayate had already begun the match, but Neji was more content to talk.

"How ironic that Fate has brought you in front of me. I used to hate you, you know?" his voice was cold, and his stance never wavered.

"Neji, you were always the brother I looked up to. You have always been strong, but I have found my own strength. Don't expect me to be the same weak girl you knew," Hinata responded boldly. She was still quiet, but there was no fear laced in her words.

Neji sneered at her. "You were born a failure, and you grew to be an outcast. The very idea that you could compete with someone gifted by the Fates themselves is laughable!"

And he flew at the soft-spoken girl. Both had their dojutsu active, and Neji pressed his advantage early with a flurry of strikes at Hinata's chest. She didn't bother blocking them, knowing that she'd lose the use of her arms if she did, and simply weaved and spun away from her cousin's deadly hands.

Neji remained on the offensive for a solid thirty seconds, hardly giving Hinata room to breathe. His strikes got faster and faster, likely fueled by whatever rage he felt. Hinata didn't strike back, but Naruto knew that her eyes caught every movement.

Suddenly, Hinata lashed out with a single hand. Neji's latest strike had been blazing fast, but his speed and anger made him sloppy. Hinata snaked a hand inside his now exposed guard and gave her cousin a jolt on his upper arm.

Neji jumped back before she could capitalize on the opening, and he shot her a nasty glare. "I see that I won't be able to overlook you as a common peasant. The training you received before your disgrace was obviously enough to at least make you mediocre in my family's art."

The railing crumpled under Naruto's grip. The metal stood no chance against his fury, and his friends inched away in the interest of self-preservation. Likely the best course of action.

Hinata's response to the cruel words was to harden bother her heart and her stance. It did hurt hearing those words from someone she looked up to most of her life, but any of his strikes to her chest would hurt just as much.

"Unluckily for you, you are within my field of divination," Neji smiled coldly. Hinata's eyes widened, and she knew that he was telling the truth.

Before she could leap back, Neji sprung at her once more, his arms a blur to most eyes. She deflected the first strike with her own weak, hasty Jyuuken to his forearm. Nothing enough to slow him down. She evaded the second strike my an inch.

Two out of the next four strikes hit her shoulders. Hinata felt the burning pain of her tenketsu getting forcibly closed, and prepared to counter in the next set. The eight strikes usually left an opening in inexperienced user between the sixth and seventh strike. An opening she knew of from experience.

Neji's second strike hit her in the upper chest, but she kept to her feet and deflected the next two, preparing for her opening. She took the sixth hit to the sternum and lashed out desperately. There was no opening.

Neji brutally finished his combination of thirty-two Jyuuken strikes, well over half of them finding their marks. Hinata was blasted back by the final strike, obviously finished with the fight. Despite her newfound resolve, Neji was still her superior. He had been a genius long before she decided to become serious, and she worked nowhere near hard enough to catch up to him.

Neji, though, wasn't satisfied with the win. The anger he had harbored all his life was bursting out in this fight. Before Hayate could call a winner Neji leaped forward, one last massive Jyuuken strike ready in his right fingertips. He would hit her in the heart, ending the disgrace his uncle somehow produced.

Naruto saw the intent in the boy's eyes and knew it had gone far enough. _"Now, Kurama!"_

Moving so fast that no one but Sasuke would have had a chance to see the red cloak manifest, Naruto placed himself in front of Neji's incoming strike and deactivated the cloak. Neji's eyes widened in surprise before narrowing in deep hatred. His fingers flew forward at even greater speed.

Naruto felt the hit over his heart, as well as the organ faltering with the immense direct damage. Naruto was forced to recoil from the blow, the entire left side of his torso getting rocked backward. It was easily a kill shot, something no man should ever get up from. Kurama healed it almost immediately, the chakra borderline visible on Naruto's chest. Neji smiled in his unexpected triumph, before seeing the stone-set face of Naruto.

Naruto stared Neji down, honestly scaring the Hyuuga. Jyuuken would not work against him, and Naruto was beyond furious. Naruto leaned into Neji and whispered one phrase to the boy,

"Be afraid…"

Naruto then turned sharply and picked up his girlfriend, walking to the infirmary, past the stunned medics halfway onto the field. Naruto felt better during his walk as he felt the girl nuzzle into his chest, and he knew she was okay.

"You fought well, Hinata," Naruto muttered lowly as he entered the room indicated by the nurses.

"I lost."

"I never said you didn't, I said you fought well. And I'm proud of you."

Hinata smiled in contentment as she was laid onto the sheets. Naruto knew those were words she rarely heard throughout her life, and he also knew how powerful they could be.

Naruto walked back out to the arena floor, and he saw all the other passing contestants standing in a line. Looks like Gaara got the free pass, but he didn't look very happy about it. Naruto walked to where his team was standing, but he also caught Gaara's eye as he did so.

There was a new look in them as the two gazes met, and Naruto felt like he should speak with him soon. Just something drawing him to the Suna genin.

"You all have done well to make it this far," the Hokage spoke as he paced in front of the finalists. "In one month's time, you will return. You will fight for your honor, your village's honor, and the chance at a promotion. Be proud of yourselves, for you have already exceeded expectations and have made your homes proud. Now go; train and become stronger. And when you return, remind the world why your village deserves respect."

Yeah, the Old Man could still give one hell of a speech. Must be a job requirement or something. The genin then all pulled numbers to see who they would be fighting, and the matchups were displayed on the board above. Naruto couldn't help but smile. Oh yes, Neji would be very afraid.

**Round 1: Naruto Uzumaki vs. Neji Hyuuga**

**Round 2: Sakura Haruno vs. Kurotsuchi of Iwa**

**Round 3: Sasuke Uchiha vs. Atsui of Kumo**

**Round 4: Tenten Higurashi vs. Karui of Kumo**

**Round 5: Gaara of Suna vs. Dosu of Sound**

**Round 6: Zaku Abumi vs. Temari**

Neji was definitely afraid.


	22. Chapter 22

Naruto was leaving the arena's medical bay after checking up on Hinata. He had promised her that they could get dinner again before he left to train, and he planned to meet her in three hour's time. They had both made it to the tower fairly early, and the only fatigue they felt was from the preliminary fights themselves.

"Uzumaki," a cold voice grated out.

Naruto clenched his jaw in recognition before turning to face a calm Gaara.

"Gaara."

The genin's green eyes bore unblinkingly into Naruto's own, the rage and insanity behind them seemingly subdued. "I hear that I have you to thank for my easy nights."

Naruto smiled lightly, relieved that the other boy wasn't here for a fight. You never know with the crazy ones. "It was nothing, just a modified chakra suppression seal. I don't know why your village brand doesn't work for you."

Gaara shifted then, and the gleam came back to his eyes. "I know you house a demon."

**"Well isn't he subtle?"**

Naruto readied himself once more for a fight. "Yeah? What about it?"

"You are like me. Mother felt your demonic chakra when you saved the Hyuuga girl. She says you are strong. She craves your blood."

Naruto was slightly confused at that. "I'm like you? What do you mean?" he asked to make sure.

"I too am a prison... and a prisoner."

Jinchuuriki.

"What I don't know about you, Uzumaki, is why you aren't more like me," Gaara's eyes narrowed.

"Hated?" Naruto guessed. "I'm hated pretty well, actually. Most of the village can't stand me."

"No! Feared!" the deranged boy snarled. "I have been hated my whole life, and once I started trying to kill them back, they learned to fear me. I am the strongest in existence and will continue to eliminate others to prove myself to mother."

**"This kid is a whacko. Naruto, ask him which of my siblings he holds."**

"Gaara? Which Biju do you hold within you?" Naruto asked cautiously.

Gaara stared silently for a split second. "Mother wants you to know that she is the Ichibi. The mighty Sand Demon!" a savage smile adorned his thin lips.

**"Last I checked my baby brother was… my brother. Always was a bit unstable after the humans made us hateful, though."**

_"Are all the Jinchuriki this crazy?"_

**"Even for Shukaku this is extreme. Naruto, do us all a favor and check his seal."**

"Gaara, if it's okay with you, can I see your seal? I'll show you mine if you want."

Gaara lifted his shirt and channeled chakra to his sternum, causing an off-centered and three-pronged seal to emerge.

Naruto flew into an outrage.

"Who applied your seal? Why the FUCK were they allowed to work with something as dangerous as a Biju if they don't even understand basic sealing? And their work is GARBAGE. The prongs are uneven and crooked, and you should probably be DEAD!"

Gaara took a step back from the fuming blond, his sand swirling about him protectively. Suddenly his siblings swooped down from the railing above, and they both took up defensive positions in front of their brother.

"How dare you disrespect Lady Chiyo! She was the only seal master brave enough to attempt the sealing while our brother was unborn, so don't go mouthing off!" Kankuro shouted heatedly.

Naruto narrowed his gaze on the boy, his eyes slit from the passion of his anger mixing with Kurama's own. They had mistreated his younger brother as well, and someone was in hot water.

"Your 'esteemed' Lady Chiyo is lucky she didn't kill your brother. She used the wrong kind of fucking seal for a living being, something that I knew when I was fucking eight! It looks like she did the job severely drunk and with her dominant hand broken because the seal itself is sloppier than an academy students letters. Instead of your brother's chakra merging with Shukaku's, they're at constant war, which is why he never sleeps."

Temari and Kankuro took a hesitant step back, the bloodlust radiating from Naruto letting them know how dangerous he was feeling.

"Can you fix it?" Gaara asked softly. The softest his sibling had heard him speak since he was a little boy.

"A fucking nine year old could fix it, come here," Naruto pulled up a chair angrily as he rummaged through his sealing pouch.

Gaara shoved his way past the arms of his siblings.

"Gaara, you can't trust him! He's a Konoha ninja!" Temari urged.

"The way that I've seen you two act around him I'd say I'm closer to him than you are. Jinchuuriki should stick together, we have enough people hating us as it is."

Temari recoiled as if physically struck, and Kankuro looked away in his shame.

"I suggest you hurry, Uzumaki. Mother is trying to convince me to kill you before you touch me."

"Shukaku's a dude," Naruto said as he slapped the chakra suppression seal on Garra's head. Gaara went limp for a moment before sitting up straight again. "Shirt off."

Gaara complied. "It's already silent in my head… will it always be this way?"

Naruto smiled at his *hopefully* new friend, "It doesn't have to be. The Kyuubi and I are actually great friends, and we talk all the time. He's saved my life more times than I can count."

"Y-you hold the Nine-tails?" Kankuro asked shakily, wide-eyed.

"You bet your painted ass I do. Now Gaara, I'm going to place my seal over your original one. Usually, this would disrupt the connection and hurt really badly, but since the connection is cut by my tag you shouldn't feel anything."

Gaara nodded.

**"Naruto, that's doing it backwards. You have to separate the last seal from his chakra system before you can tap your own into it."**

_"Shit, thanks for the catch."_

"Kurama actually just told me that's backward, sorry. I'll take yours off first."

Naruto placed his glowing fingertips over the three-pronged seal and concentrated.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing? Kinda early to mess up don't you think?" Temari prodded from her distance.

Naruto gave her an annoyed look. "Lack of experience doesn't equate to lack of skill. Now shut up so I can help my friend."

As the old seal faded, Gaara looked up at the blond. They were friends?

Naruto then held up his right hand and formed the symbols for the Four Element seal on his fingertips. Taking it a step further, Naruto grasped his wrist with his left hand and willed the symbols to be overlapped by their counterparts, effectively creating the Eight Trigram Seal. It took almost a full minute of intense concentration, but he managed.

Naruto placed his hand on Gaara's chest, and the markings immediately came into view. The intricate swirls were nearly seamless, a testament to Naruto's skill. Abusing shadow clones had its perks, after all.

"There. The Yondaime gave me mine, but we're still technically matching," Naruto smiled and lifted his own shirt to show the resemblance. "We'll just give it a bit to integrate itself with your chakra network. It shouldn't be too hard since you're still pretty young."

The other sand sibling watched in awe. This kid… he was good. Definitely better than anyone in Suna.

"Why… why do I still feel hatred? Why do I still hurt?" Gaara asked quietly.

Naruto sighed in sympathy and pulled up his own chair. "Things the Ichibi didn't give you won't go away. The hatred from your village is yours to bear. The same as mine."

"You aren't stronger than me," Gaara suddenly said, "so why are you… happy?"

Naruto smiled at that. "Something else my Biju didn't give me. Love. Friendship. Both of those things make me strong. Stronger than the hate thrown at me, at least."

Gaara spaced out for a split second as he remembered something he did his best to forget over the harsh years.

_"Why do I hurt, uncle Yashamaru?"_

_"Gaara, physical pain can be healed with time and medicine. Pain of the heart, like what you're feeling, can only be healed with love."_

"Thank you, Uzumaki. I will not forget your kindness. I will also try… to be more kind to those close to me," Gaara then glanced quickly at his teary-eyed sister and stone-faced brother.

"Good. Now, let's see how well I did!" and Naruto suddenly ripped off the suppression tag.

Gaara spasmed and gasped harshly as chakra entered the seal for the first time. Demonic met pure chakra in near harmony for the first time, and Gaara was showing the effects.

"Gaara!" Temari lunged forward in worry. Kankuro was close behind her.

Naruto didn't stop them, but Gaara reassured her, "I am fine. My head is still clear, and I don't hear the Ichibi anymore."

Gaara stood then. "Thank you, Uzumaki. Naruto. Thank you." And he walked away.

Kankuro immediately followed him, worried for his brother. Temari started in their direction but faltered to look at the still seated and smiling Naruto.

"Why do you keep helping us? Helping Gaara?" she asked, almost desperate.

Naruto looked her in the eyes calmly and said, "I know some of that pain. Except I was raised by a family that truly cared for me. I couldn't stand to see him suffer what I do and not even have your support. So I fixed what I could and hoped for the best. I know you care. Make sure he knows too."

"Yes, but why?!" Temari was on the verge of angry tears at that point, still awed by the improved state of her youngest brother.

"I said it earlier. Jinchuuriki have enough people hating us, so we might as well stick together," Naruto stood with his statement. "I gotta go get ready for a date before I leave for training. Give Gaara my best!"

Temari stood in silence after the other blond disappeared in a swirl of leaves. "Damn him… did he just stop the whole plan without realizing it…? I don't think I can go through with it after this…"

* * *

Naruto sat on his father's head, a blanket laid out, as he waited for his date. Earlier he had received a toad messenger from Jiraiya that he would be taking his training month on Mount Myoboku, and that Gamakichi would reverse summon him at six the next morning. With that knowledge confirmed, Naruto was determined to get in one more date with Hinata before he left. He also had to stop in at a certain restaurant…

"Hello, Naruto," a sweet voice came from behind him. Naruto turned and smiled, greeting his girlfriend.

"Hello, beautiful. Was Kurenai still willing to cook for us?"

Hinata held up a wicker basket and rolled her eyes, trying to downplay her blush at the greeting. "Leave it to you to worry so much about food. Can't you just be happy that I'm here?"

Naruto took the basket from her, set it aside, and pulled her to his chest. Naruto took a breath of her scent before nuzzling the side of her head, "You have no idea how happy you being here makes me."

Hinata hummed happily at that, and willingly sunk deeper into the embrace. The pair of them sat like that for a few quiet, happy minutes, before Naruto pulled away, "But I am starving though."

Hinata rolled her eyes once more as she dug out the plates, a smile glued to her lips. It was a relatively simple meal of beef, fried rice and vegetables, and a soy-based sauce, but the company made the whole dinner.

Naruto served the food, jokingly almost dropping his own plate just to hear his date's clear laugh ring out over the mountain face. Naruto actually ate rather slowly so he could hold a conversation, something he told himself he would ONLY do for her.

After they had finished eating, Naruto packed everything back into the basket and moved the blanket to one of his father's hair spikes. The couple leaned against the spire, Naruto's back being the only one touching the rough surface. Hinata leaned happily into her boyfriend's arms and chest, watching the glowing sunset with him. The village really was beautiful this time of night.

"Well, I guess I should give you the bad news now," Naruto mumbled.

"Don't tell me you plan to kill Neji, he's still technically important," Hinata half-joked back. Naruto wasn't sure where that wry sense of humor came from, but Kami did he like it.

"Nah, nothing that big. I'm just going to be doing my training away from the village is all."

Hinata shifted to face him better. "Nothing that big? You mean I won't see you for the month?" she pouted.

"I-I mean, missions can last longer than that!" Hinata crossed her arms and sat back against her boyfriend, her mock anger making him smile as he wrapped his arms around her once more.

"Come on," Naruto rocked with her in his arms, slightly uncomfortable since her own were crossed. "Don't be maaaad."

Hinata glanced at him from the corner of her eye, "Fine, but only because you asked!"

Naruto smiled and settled back against the rock face, enjoying the warmth of his girlfriend draped across his chest. Eventually, she moved her head to rest on his shoulder, and her face seemed to be looking at both the sunset and at him at the same time.

_"Oh, man is that a hint? A signal?"_

_._

_"Oh yeah, I have the link off for the date… I think it's a signal! Do I… do I kiss her? How the hell do I that? Fuck it. Time to try out the only well-written scene In Ero-sensei's series!"_

Naruto rubbed his cheek on the top of Hinata's head, prompting her to nuzzle into him further. Taking the first small step he could think of, Naruto pressed his lips softly to the top of her head, and then her forehead. Just beneath the metal of her headband.

Hinata tilted her face upwards, her large shining eyes reflecting the setting sun's rays like the most beautiful pale mirrors in existence. Her cheeks danced with a growing blush, and she looked ready for something. Something Naruto hoped he was ready for himself.

Naruto leaned in and placed his bare forehead to hers, feeling the cool plate of metal against his skin above her own. Where their skin did touch was lit aflame, and Naruto felt something stir in him that he had never felt before.

Naruto then pressed lightly against her with his head, tilting her face upwards and causing their noses to meet as his left hand rose to stroke her cheek. Her eyes started to flutter shut, and Naruto let his do the same. And just before they shut fully, Naruto tilted his head to his right, lightly grasped Hinata's chin, and finally allowed their lips to meet.

The kiss itself was nothing special. No fancy lip movements or _tongue_ or anything. Just simple, motionless beauty in simplicity. The sky may have been darkening but both teens saw fireworks behind lidded eyes, Naruto's gut dancing some exotic routine and Hinata's face bright as the setting sun.

After a few blissful seconds, Naruto pulled himself away. Hinata immediately took three deep breaths and his her face back into Naruto's neck to hide her blush, and Naruto worked to calm his own feelings. As jumbled and gleefully happy as they were, they knew one thing.

Yes, Naruto loved this girl.

"Ah, eghck, excuse me, Uzumaki, but the Hokage request your presence," a kneeling and obviously fake coughing ANBU muttered from behind the pair.

Naruto felt his eyes widen in realization. They were probably watched. On the other hand… oh well, it was still great. "Ugh, fine. Tell him I'll be there as soon as I drop off my princess."

The ANBU disappeared, and Naruto followed suit after sweeping a giggling Hinata up like a bride. All that was left behind was a clone and a swirl of leaves.

* * *

"I hope you know what you had your ANBU interrupt," Naruto grumbled as he sat across his grandfather figure.

"I'm sure the last date for a month was allowed to end well, I ordered that much. I just hope not too well…?" Hiruzen raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"I'm not my sensei, you know," Naruto hastily replied and rubbed the back of his head. "Why'd you wanna see me anyways?" Good subject change.

"It's about Kusa, and Karin."

"Oh. Yeah, that's pretty important then."

The elderly Sarutobi rose from his desk, "It seems that the only med nin I have willing to go to Kusa doesn't satisfy them, and they refuse to let Karin be transferred to Konoha."

Naruto rubbed his temples in frustration. "I know she wants to be here, can I go talk to them?"

The Hokage was visibly surprised at this. "You want a diplomatic mission? I was under the impression that Jiraiya would be sending for you early in the morning."

Naruto glanced at the clock and noted that it was nearing eight at night. Most administration buildings opened their doors at eight… "I'll have him extend my timeframe. Do you think I could make it to Kusa in twelve hours?"

Hiruzen smiled. "You? Yes, I have no doubts. I'm still debating on letting you go, though."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "If you don't give me a mission I'll just go during my month of training."

Yes, thought the Hokage, that could be bad. "Okay, fine. Naruto, you are to go on a diplomatic mission as a Clan Head and convince Kusa to relinquish Karin Uzumaki into your care."

"Great! I'll send her back when I'm done, will you look after her while I'm out?" Naruto asked as he sent a clone to grab a mission pack.

Hiruzen shook his head. "Of course, of course. Now get going, you don't have all night."

**"Ask if you're allowed to threaten them with war!"**

"Am I allowed to threaten them with war?" Naruto asked quickly.

The Hokage frowned. "I would really rather you didn't, although under Clan rights you could threaten with your clan. Not the village, though."

**"Oh, this will be good."**

_"I won't have to do it, I'm a great negotiator!"_

**"You keep telling yourself that, kit."**

* * *

"Oh! Naruto Uzumaki? I wasn't expecting such a… prudent response to my last letter," the Kusa leader commented. Since Kusa was a minor country they didn't have a claim to a Kage.

"I determined that the status of one of my family members was of enough importance to attend to both immediately and personally."

Naruto's calm and quick response surprised the older man. For all intents and purposes, this genin spoke like a practiced politician.

"Yes, I can understand the importance of Clan members. Would you care to discuss the roles of—"

Naruto cut the man off, immediately sensing the 'bait' being tossed at him. If Naruto was a weak negotiator, he would be easily swayed by distraction. Kakashi made sure to teach him to avoid that kind of thing.

"If it's all the same to you, sir, I would like to discuss the placement of Karin Uzumaki. I'm sure both of us have more important things to attend to, especially considering that I had to be squeezed into your schedule before your building officially opened."

The Kusa leader steeled his gaze as he realized that he wouldn't be talking with a simple child. "Very well. As the matter stands, Karin Uzumaki is a registered shinobi of Kusagakure and will remain so indefinitely."

Naruto raised an eyebrow at that. "And may I ask why she is being held so close to your village?"

"You may. She is simply invaluable to us as a medic, and regularly heals our forces everyday. We cannot afford to simply give her away."

Naruto leaned back in the chair and crossed his legs. He noticed the small smirk the other man tried to hide. "Let's be honest with each other here. Do not pretend to know the abilities of my clan better than I do myself. As Clan Head, I am aware that Karin has a branch of our bloodline that enables her to heal others through allowing them to bite her and siphon her chakra. I also know that this both exhausts and potentially hurts her, and she doesn't have nearly a large enough chakra pool to heal more than a dozen minor injuries."

"What is your point, Uzumaki?" the man was starting to sound defensive.

"I also know that you would not be 'giving her away' as you put it. I know that my Hokage offered you a trained med nin in exchange and that you declined the offer. I have no choice but to believe that you are simply trying to get the best deal possible in a trade. An admirable trait, really. Essential for a strong leader."

The Kusa man showed no signs of accepting the compliment, likely because he sensed the coming 'but'.

"However, this is a foolish time to utilize that strategy. If you were debating with an average airheaded teenager playing at leading a once great clan, yes. But now? Foolish."

"I don't think I appreciate your tone, Uzumaki."

Naruto held up a hand and looked down. "Please, I mean no offense, I am only pointing out my own observations. I do not appreciate you using a member of my family to exploit my village, and I rescind Konoha's offer of a replacement medic."

The leader of the small hidden village cocked a brow at that. "Then what trade do you propose?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes at the man, the first show of any emotions. "I don't. I propose that you release the member of my family that I know has no desire to remain under your name. I propose that you count yourself lucky that Konoha doesn't take offense to you holding one of its clan members against their will. And I propose that you allow me to take Karin today, and consider us even. I will ignore the insult if you do so."

The man actually laughed. "Are you telling me that Konoha means to threaten me over a single girl?"

Naruto relaxed and looked at the man once more, keeping his gaze calm. "No, not Konoha. The Uzumaki clan."

The man cracked a wider grin, now believing himself to be speaking with a delusional child. "A Clan of current one, correct?"

"A clan of one, yes. A Clan lead by the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi. A clan backed by the Yamanaka, and by extension the Nara and the Akamichi. A Clan whose leader is engaged to a Hyuuga and teammates with the Last Uchiha and Kakashi of the Sharingan. A Clan whose Head was trusted with a weapon capable of bringing major villages to its knees. I do not need Konoha to back me, nor any of my allies. I like to believe myself capable of looking after my own family."

The leader of Kusa visibly paled at Naruto's blatant threat. Everyone knew of the destruction the Fox was capable of. It took half of Konoha's forces and arguably the greatest Hokage since the First to stop the beast. Not to mention the dangerous list of names backing the boy.

"For a single girl? You'd risk your allies and village for a single girl?" the man asked in defeat.

"No. You'd risk pitting your village against the Nine-tailed Fox for a single girl."

**"Damn, it's nice to know I still inflict fear and respect!"**

_"It's mostly fear."_

"Fine. Take the girl, but expect a letter to your Hokage about your conduct during this meeting."

"Good. Don't expect the old deal to be available. You scorned my Hokage's goodwill once, I would be remiss if he risked it again on my behalf."

_"I got so lucky, I pulled that last part straight from my ass hehe."_

**"I still can't believe that worked. You might have a few more people gunning for your head after this, though."**

_"Target practice, cool!"_

**"So what happened to not needing to resort to threats again?"**

* * *

Naruto kneeled in front of his sensei, Ma, and Pa. Behind him was a waterfall of oil, and he was about to learn what the next phase of his training would be.

"Well, Naruto, we have decided that it's time you learned what sets Toad summoners apart from the rest of the world," Ma started.

"My boy, if you thought your sensei was strong before, you are going to be blown away!" Pa added on.

Naruto mentally balked. Jiraiya hadn't shown him his full strength before? Kurama already expected it to take four to five tails to beat the man!

"This is a technique that has been used to save villages, win wars, and stop raging Biju. It isn't something learned easily, and even took me three years to get as far as I have," Jiraiya continued.

Ma and Pa then jumped on Jiraiya's shoulders. "Naruto, this… This is Sage Mode."

Jiraiya widened his arms, looked to the heavens and held the pose for a minute as Naruto sat in expectant awe. Then the Sannin looked back at Naruto.

And Naruto laughed. Hard.

"Hey!" Jiraiya yelled, throwing a punch at the laughing blond.

Naruto didn't even bother to lean back, seeing the punch would pass his chin with plenty of room. Until he was flung to the side, his jaw busted by an incredible blow that had no business landing. Kurama laughed his ass off as well, except he was laughing at the boy who's jaw he was currently healing.

"Okay, it's pretty cool. But you look hilarious."

"That's why I tend not to use it too much. It drives the ladies away!"

Naruto shook his head as Ma and Pa left Jiraiya shoulders. "Naruto, do you think you could lift that statue?" Ma asked innocently.

Naruto looked to his left and saw what she was talking about. And no, he could not. It was a massive statue of a frog, larger than any house Naruto had been in, and likely denser than any rock near Konoha as well. Naruto shook his head.

"Watch, my boy, what Sage Mode allows one to do," Pa croaked as he hopped to the statue. Naruto sat wide-eyed as the tiny toad lifted the massive statue with only marginal difficulty. Frog face be damned, Naruto had to learn this Sage Mode stuff!

"When do I start?" Naruto asked excitedly.

"I'll handle the first phase of your training. You have to learn to sit perfectly still and become one with nature in order to sense the Nature Chakra. After that, Pa will help you learn to mix it with your own chakra, granting you Sage Mode. As long as your technique is imperfect, though, you'll gain a few froglike features. It's worth it, though!"

Naruto then followed Jiraiya to a clearing to begin.

* * *

"What the fuck do you mean you already feel it!" Jiraiya demanded loudly.

Naruto sat in a meditative position, crossed legs and closed eyes as he replied, "I mean, I feel all this energy around me, and it's like it's drawn to the place Orochimaru's Curse Mark was."

Silence. Dangerous Silence.

"What," Jiraiya said lowly.

Naruto opened his eyes in his error, frantic to clear up the situation. "It's nothing, really! I was just doing the same thing for Sasuke that I did for Anko, but the seal was modified and I ended up with it on myself instead of a clone!"

"AND THAT MAKES IT ALL BETTER DOESN'T IT."

"It turned out fine, Kurama tortured his soul and the Mark disappeared after he ate him."

Jiraiya sat and rubbed his temples. "What the hell am I going to do with you…? Why didn't you tell me? Or ANYONE?"

Naruto shrugged. "I thought it was fine."

Jiraiya pulled Naruto roughly to him, activating his own sage mode with the oil before holding a slightly webbed palm over the spot Naruto indicated. "It feels like there was something changed in one of the enzymes here and it's stuck in your neck. It passively draws in and converts Nature Chakra, but there's nowhere to store it so it gets released. You're lucky it doesn't get released into you or you'd be dead."

Naruto gulped at that fact.

"Well, go see Pa for the next part of your training. It won't be nearly as easy as this, but I'm sure you'll manage."

Jiraiya stood with his blond student, messing his blond hair as he did so. "Proud of you, brat. Keep growing. I gotta get back on the road, time I tracked down an old teammate of mine for Sensei. I'll be back to see you win the exams, alright?"

Naruto waved goodbye as his father figure left. Then, he was off to find Pa.

* * *

One month. Naruto was back in the village after only a single month, and he was miles ahead of where he was when he left. He still hadn't fully mastered Sage Mode, but he did find a shortcut for the short term. The toad oil allowed him to achieve perfect balance, but he still couldn't manage it on his own. And since the oil evaporated off the mountain Naruto had to find a workaround.

By doing so, Naruto discovered what Pa described as the answer to every Sage's problem with the time limit. On Naruto's left arm, opposite his four now full gravity seals, were chakra storage seals. He had four of them as well, and they were all filled with the perfect amount of senjutsu to keep him from turning to stone. Naruto could pop one and be ready to fight in less than a second. It was brilliant.

Naruto had also trained with Kurama while they had the opportunity. Jiraiya was right, and Naruto was able to access a full eight tails after his chakra coils adjusted to the power of Nature chakra. The final tail still eluded him, though, and Pa expects Naruto to need to become a perfect Jinchuriki to attain the final tail.

But Naruto now stood on his father's head once more, looking over his village the night before the final rounds began. Naruto was strong now, and the world was about to find that out.

Naruto felt a clone pop, a clone sent to ask the Hokage the whereabouts of Karin. As much as Naruto wanted to find Hinata, he had business to take care of first.

* * *

"Naruto!" Karin flew across the room to hug the blond.

Naruto staggered at the immediate assault, having expected to at least make it into his apartment before getting attacked. "How'd you know I was coming?"

Karin tapped her head, just shy of her glasses. "Senor, dummy. You're pretty much a beacon to me with all your chakra. Did your reserve somehow get _bigger_ over the month?"

"I like to think so, yes," Naruto smiled as he moved to sit on his couch. "I take it you've been using my bed since I've been gone?"

Karin nodded shyly. "You can have it back—"

Naruto waved her off. "Nah, I'll just take the couch. It's only for one night, anyway. We're moving into our compound tomorrow, remember?"

Karin smiled brightly at that. "I'm really excited for that."

Naruto simply stretched on his sofa, ready to get a good night's sleep.

"Um, Naruto? There's a pair of people walking down your hallway that I haven't seen before. One of them is definitely a jonin…"

Naruto sighed and spun a kunai in his right hand while forming a Rasengan in his left. He just wanted some sleep.

The door was kicked in, and Naruto flung the kunai with all his strength. It was useless, however, in the face of a massive blade that only one shinobi would be crazy enough to use.

"That all you got for home defense, brat? I expected better," Zabuza commented flatly as he walked into the room. Haku followed behind him, mask off and dress worn freely. And… breasts free? Where the hell did those suckers come from?

"There is such a thing called knocking, you know," Naruto relaxed back into the couch.

"Eh, your Hokage told us you lived here and this is where we'd stay until tomorrow, so why bother?"

Naruto groaned. "You guys too? Fine. Haku, you can have the couch, Karin's already got my bed. Zabuza there's a rug in the bathroom."

"Thank you, Naruto," Haku smiled and restrained her laughter.

"Like fucking hell! Haku, go sleep with the redhead."

"Calm down, I was joking!" Naruto laughed as he stood. "I have a spare bed I take on missions in case we rescue a hostage. One of you can take that."

"I take it you know these people…?" Karin asked nervously, still nervous of Zabuza's grim outlook.

"Oh, sorry! Forgot my manners," Naruto then went into introductions. "Karin, this is Zabuza Momochi, ex-Kiri nin and our Clan's new resident kenjutsu master. His… daughter... probably... here is Haku. She's going to be living with us as well, and she's a holder of the Hyoton Kekkei Genkai. Zabuza, Haku, this is Karin Uzumaki. My cousin or something. She's definitely of my blood and probably a main line since she has one of my Clan's two Kekkei Genkai."

As Naruto spoke, he set up the spare bed in the corner of the living room farthest from the kitchen.

"Interesting. Haku, take the couch I'm on the bed," Zabuza droned as he instantly went to lay down.

"Naruto," Haku asked, "where will you sleep?"

"I'll use a sleeping bag or something, don't worry about it."

"Naruto," Karin called out, her voice suddenly higher pitched and syrupy. "I don't mind sharing your bed, you know…"

Naruto laughed nervously and backed away. "Oh, no! It's fine, I don't mind at all! And, uh, since I'm dating Hinata she probably wouldn't be too happy you know?"

Karin walked closer to the nervous blond. "Oh, don't you know that you'll be able to take multiple wives? Every village has laws to help Clans increase their numbers, and we should keep our line alive you know!"

Naruto didn't hesitate. "YOU GUYS SLEEP WELL I'M GOING TO MY TEAMMATES' HOUSE OKAY BYE!"

Zabuza laughed uncontrollably as he left.

* * *

Naruto knocked on Sasuke's door just as the clocks were striking nine. The sun was down and Naruto was tired, he just wanted to crash on the couch or something.

Sasuke answered the door much later than expected. "Naruto? What are you doing here?"

"I could almost ask you the same question. I honestly suspected Kakashi to get you back just in time to avoid being disqualified or something equally ridiculous."

Sasuke smirked and leaned on his doorframe. "I'm sure he wanted to. I decided to come back this morning, there were a few things I wanted to do before the exam."

Naruto laughed lightly. "Fair enough. Anyway, my apartment has been taken over by some guests, care if I crash on your couch tonight?"

Sasuke shifted, uneasy at the prospect. "I mean, sure, but could it wait for like—"

Naruto wasn't patient enough to hear the rest of the sentence, he was just tired. As soon as Sasuke said 'sure' Naruto was letting himself in.

Naruto's eyes widened in shock. There, at the dining table, was Sakura. She was sitting equally as shocked, at a table set for a _romantic_ dinner for two. In Sasuke's house. With Sasuke. Sakura.

"IS SAKURA ONE OF THE THINGS YOU WANTED TO 'DO' BEFORE THE EXAM?!"

Naruto was immediately bombarded by fists from his female teammate and shouts from the Uchiha. Naruto laughed and held his hands up in surrender, taking his beating.

"Naruto you idiot! You've ruined a perfectly good date!" Sakura complained once she calmed down. "And you ruined the surprise we had for you tomorrow!"

Naruto scrunched his eyes in mock confusion. "Surprise…? Oh. My. Kami. You're _pregnant?_ "

Sakura's fist hit him with a LOT more force than it should have, and this time Kurama joined in Naruto's laughing as the fox healed Naruto's concussion.

"I liked it better when you didn't know how to joke," Sasuke said darkly.

"I'm kidding, guys! But seriously, good for you two. And sorry about the date thing, I just wanted a place to crash. How about I make it up to you?" Naruto offered.

"If you suggest a three-way, I swear to Kami you won't see the first-round tomorrow," Sakura's tone left no room for jokes.

"What? No! I'll send a clone to your house and let your parents know that we're having a team sleepover or something."

Sakura was about to dispute lying to her parents when Sasuke intervened. "I… wouldn't mind that. And it's not really lying since we're all going to be sleeping here."

"Great!" Naruto sent a clone off to do just that. "I'm going to go get started on the sleeping bit. Make sure you two actually mind the 'sleep' part of 'sleeping together' at some point, and please don't wake me up!"

Naruto's laughter as he danced into the living room turned to cries of pain as Sakura threw a chair at him. He wasn't cleaning that up.

Tomorrow would be a good day. His best friends would know all of his secrets, he would live in a compound with his remaining family and new friends, and he would see the most beautiful girl in the world. A good day indeed.


	23. Chapter 23

Naruto opened his eyes slowly, the sunlight beginning to peek in through the window letting him know that it was time. Time to absolutely destroy this exam. Looking at the clock, it was just now getting to be seven in the morning, leaving Naruto three hours until the start of the first round. Plenty of time to get things in order.

First off, Naruto had to get out of Sasuke's house before he saw anything he didn't want to, even though he was pretty sure they wouldn't do anything too stupid on a day like today. Can't have them wasting their energy, right?

Sneaking out, Naruto noticed that all signs of the last night's dinner date were erased. The dining room was immaculate, almost as if no one had used in weeks. Sasuke must be a real hard-ass about cleaning because the rest of the house looked the same way.

Now out in the early morning sun, Naruto comprised a list of things to get accomplished before the start of the Finals.

1.) Get back to the apartment and grab his gloves, weapons, and battle seal kit. Oh and breakfast.

2.) Four more chakra seals on his right upper arm full of standard chakra. Just in case.

3.) Stop by the Hokage's office and get details on Naruto's big reveal.

4.) Find Hinata, wish her luck, and then maybe possibly kiss her again. Maybe.

Easy enough.

* * *

Naruto was halfway back to his house when he saw Lee doing his morning handstand laps through Konoha. Naruto couldn't help but smile at the guy, his spirits never dropping even after failing to make it to the finals. If you asked Naruto, Lee was likely the most deserving of the majority of the finalists.

"Lee! Still doing your morning routine?" Naruto called out, stopping the other genin in his tracks.

"Yosh! Friend Naruto it is good to see you have returned!" Lee flipped himself upright, shaking his hands to ease the tension on his wrists.

"Yeah, today's the big day you know?" Naruto said amicably.

"I think so as well, I can not wait to fight in front of the crowd today!" Lee pumped his fist in the air in his exuberance.

Naruto laughed along nervously. Was Lee still concussed? "Lee, didn't you get eliminated?"

Lee smacked his own forehead in realization, the sound reverberating in the morning air. "How silly of me! I failed to mention that a select few genin have been chosen for ten-minute exhibition matches between rounds to give the actual competitors time to recover! The Honorable Hokage said it was unusual, but acceptable because there were so many in the Finals!"

That was why Lee was so excited. "Who will you get to fight?" Naruto asked him.

"I shall fight the loser of the first match of the first round. That means you had better defeat Neji so I may face my first Eternal Rival!"

Naruto smiled and asked, "Does that mean you're rooting for me over Neji?"

Lee blanched. "Ah! HAHA of course not! I could never stand behind one friend over the other!"

Definitely a fake laugh, but okay. "Okay, I'll see you later, Lee. I gotta go get ready."

Lee backflipped back onto his hands. "I shall see you also! Goodbye!" and he was off in a cloud of dust. That kid was crazy.

* * *

Naruto walked into his apartment as quietly as he could, not sure if anyone was still sleeping.

"Naruto!" Karin glomped onto him in a massive hug as soon as the door was open.

"Damn sensor types…" Naruto grumbled as he hugged her back hesitantly.

"Eh? Wha's the racket?" Zabuza sat up stiffly on the spare bed. Haku was already awake and seemingly sorting her senbon on the couch.

"Naruto's back!" Karin exclaimed, still glued to the blond.

"Good morning, Naruto. Are you excited?" Haku asked him.

"Yeah, definitely more excited than nervous," Naruto told her.

"Are you also louder than hell? Oh, yes. Yes you are," Zabuza flopped back onto the pillow.

Naruto actually had a job for Zabuza. Naruto began gathering everything he needed as he spoke, "Zabuza, are you a betting man?"

Zabuza's head turned at that. "On occasion. Why do you ask?"

"What would you suppose the booths are giving me odds of winning?"

Zabuza sat up, now knowing where Naruto was going with this. "You know kid, this isn't the first Exam I've attended. Or bet on."

Naruto raised an eyebrow as he summoned a clone to create the seals on his right arm. "Really? Explain to me how it works then."

Zabuza sat up fully now, "Well, your odds typically start out with how well liked you are combined by what the booths know of your skills. What would you say your common villager knows about those?"

Naruto thought for a second. That was easy. "Most of this village absolutely hates my guts, and only the Hokage and my teammates know the extent of my skills."

Zabuza rubbed his hands together after hearing that. "Good, then they'll place you as an underdog. Let's play it easy and say the Bookies place you at 5:1 for the first round. That means if I bet a thousand Ryo on you and you advanced, I would get back six thousand. That's the five thousand they offered plus my original bet."

Naruto nodded at this as the seals were finished. The clone popped out, and Naruto started diverting chakra. "Could you make bets on me winning the whole thing?"

"The thing is, they would have to come up with odds for you getting through every round, and then the final one. Do you have a copy of the brackets on you?"

Naruto handed him a slip of paper.

"So your first round is against a Hyuuga. They'll favor him pretty heavily, so you'll be closer to 5:1 than I thought. The second round will be different, and they'll probably change your standing after you beat the Hyuuga. But if we place our bet beforehand, they can't back out of the deal of your original standing. You with me so far?"

All three genin nodded.

"Good. Your second match will likely be predicted of you not even getting there, so the odds will be pretty heavily against you. I'd say two or three higher than the previous odds staked with the entireity of what you won from the first round's bet. It would be even greater for the third, and final. In essence, you're betting more money with higher odds the further you get. The downside is if you lose at any time you get nothing."

"You really think I could lose?" Naruto asked innocently.

"Fuck off, kid. I'm just giving you the facts."

Naruto grinned. "This is great. I have 300,000 Ryo I want you to put on my name for me. Along with whatever you have to offer up for yourself. I'm winning this thing."

This could make Naruto a lot of money. It would go almost completely into his Clan account, but hey it's still technically his.

"Alright, good luck with everything else, I gotta go see the Old Man," Naruto then left, nearly ready to fight. The seals should be filled within the hour, and Kurama should be able to restore his reserves by the time the fight starts.

The girls waved and said goodbye, but Zabuza almost completely ignored the blond. Zabuza didn't have a lot of money left after living off of it for half a year, but it was enough to make an impact on this betting idea. Today was going to be a good day.

* * *

Naruto was only a few minutes away from the Hokage's building when he was stopped yet again.

"Naruto," a stiff voice called out to him.

Naruto turned and saw Kankuro all on his lonesome. Odd, he usually hid behind his sister. "Kankuro, what can I do for you?"

"I'm just here to talk. Gaara or Temari would have come, but Baki is getting them ready for the tournament."

Ah, that explained it.

"Listen, I have to tell you something extremely important, but you can't kill me until I'm finished okay?" the older boy was almost sweating.

Naruto nodded but was wary of a trap. They were standing in a currently not-too-busy portion of the street, but Naruto wouldn't have to worry about people getting too close to him anyway.

"Suna is planning to invade with help from Sound during the exam."

Naruto's gloves sung as the deadly chakra claws sprung out of their knuckle plates. Naruto dropped his voice, leaked out a tendril of Power to the older genin, and said, "Choose your next words very carefully, Kankuro."

Kankuro didn't back down, much to Naruto's surprise. "My siblings and I decided that we can't take part in the invasion, not after what you've done for Gaara. This whole place has changed him, changed us, and I wanted you to tell your Hokage not to trust my father."

Naruto retracted his instruments of death at that. "What's your father got to do with the invasion?"

"Naruto my father is the Kazekage, and he's been acting differently ever since he met with the Otokage a few months back."

Naruto was stunned. He had no idea they were Kage's children. Kind of explained the ability levels though. "Fine, I won't kill you. But when the fighting starts, get your sibling out of the village. It will be the only place you'll be safe."

Kankuro nodded. "Thank you, Naruto. You'll always have friends in Suna."

And he left.

Naruto laced his fingers behind his head and started walking to see the Hokage faster than before. TODAY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A GOOD DAY.

* * *

Naruto walked into the office in a foul mood and started speaking immediately. "I got bad news, Old Man, and it's totally separate from my surprise later."

Naruto looked up and saw that he wasn't alone talking to the Hokage. Jiraiya was back as well, and a blond woman was with him. "Uh, hello?"

"Jiraiya, this is the Naruto you've been looking after?" the lady asked slowly.

"Yup. This is Naruto all right, but he's usually more polite and doesn't interrupt me this often."

Naruto held up his hands in mock surrender, pretty sure his news was way more important anyway. "Oh, my apologies! What all-important news do you bring our great leader?"

The blond woman snorted heavily through her nose, "He's definitely got your attitude."

Jiraiya smiled harshly and twitched an eye. A sign that Naruto was embarrassing him. "If you must know, my sources tell me that Yagura has gone missing, Orochimaru is planning something massive and has started trying to weasel his way into Mist, Suna has been cutting ties with old contacts, Akatsuki is getting riled up after losing track of the Sanbi, and I've tracked down my old teammate Tsunade and made contact with one other deep cover agent just in case a war breaks out in the near future."

Naruto kept a completely impassive face at his adoptive father's outburst, but eventually sat down against the now closed door and groaned into his knees.

"I think you broke him, Jiraiya," Hiruzen chuckled.

"Why does everything have to go to shit _now?_ " Naruto complained.

**"I** **t seems like life has taken a liking to fucking you over. How amusing."**

_"_ _How nice of you to wake up and join us!"_

"And what did _you_ come in with that was important enough to interrupt that conversation?" Jiraiya countered, mimicking Naruto's earlier outburst.

Naruto left his head on his knees. "The Sand Siblings have told me that Suna is planning to invade with Sound during the exams. I helped them out a bunch so they said they don't want any part of it and decided to tell me, so I told them to run when things go down."

Jiraiya placed the heel of both palms to his forehead, stared straight into the air and yelled in anger. The Hokage dropped his head to his desk, nearly cracking the wood. Tsunade punched the far wall, leaving a massive hole where the wood and stone used to be.

"Did they say anything else?" the Hokage mumbled weakly.

Naruto looked up, "Don't trust the Kazekage. Kankuro said he's been acting weird for a few months, ever since he met with the Otokage."

Tsunade laughed again. "Oto _kage._ Some fucker has a pretty big set of hangers if he's calling himself that.

"Bigger than your hangers?" Jiraiya commented offhandedly. Tsunade sent him flying out a DIFFERENT wall with a single punch, making the other two men worry about the roof collapsing on their heads.

"Tsunade, go take over the medical staff. You'll be here long term again so—"

"Hold on, Sensei," the Sannin interrupted. "I promised to help find out what was going on. I'll keep helping the village, but it will be from the field. You know I refuse to stay within these walls!" she said heatedly.

Hiruzen looked old. Really old. Like he had put up with life for twice as long as he was meant to but refused to stop pushing. "Tsunade, I need you here. I'm giving you full reign of the Hospital, including turning the West Wing into an advanced school for Medical Shinobi like you wanted all those years ago."

Tsunade was almost speechless at that. "You said you never got the approval to let me do that."

Hiruzen gave her a sneaky smile. "Once we're attacked, I won't need the approval to do anything. I technically didn't before, but during wartime, I never worry about making people satisfied. My forces will accept any decision I make, trust me on that."

Tsunade just nodded, turned to the door, and opened it. Jiraiya was now back in the room, crawling back in the hole he exited from. He looked no worse for the wear.

Standing outside the door was another man. A heavily bandaged, old, crippled man. "Ah, Tsunade Senju! What a pleasant surprise to see you back in the village."

"Danzo," Tsunade spat.

"Tsunade, Jiraiya, leave us. Naruto, you're welcome to stay."

Danzo looked at the Hokage at that but made no comment. The old man hobbled to the open seat, and Naruto sat in the one next to him. Why had he never seen this man before? A man respected enough to have the Sannin excused for him?

"Hiruzen, my old friend. I assume from your students' presence you already know of the coming threats?" Danzo asked.

"I know well enough. I just want to know what you bring me," the old Sarutobi answered him.

"Our source on Akastuki has been keeping an eye on your wayward student as well," his words were well guarded, and his one eye glanced at Naruto.

"I see. And?"

"The snake has started gathering followers from the broken country of Mist. It's expected he'll take over by the end of the year in the name of Sound."

Hiruzen cursed loudly. "Naruto here brings me news just as grim."

Danzo looked at the blond child with a hard glare, waiting for elaboration.

Naruto realized that was his cue to speak. "The three Sand Siblings have told me that the Kazekage plans to invade along with Sound during the exams. They told me due to a developed trust and a wish to avoid the conflict."

Danzo didn't freak out. He didn't get upset, or nervous. Instead, he got a serious look in his eye, and he turned back to the Hokage. "You know what this means, don't you Hiruzen?"

Sarutobi nodded once. "I do, old friend. I hate to say it, but we have to prepare for war once again. I know you never disbanded Root. I want to bring them back into the game."

Naruto was shocked to hear that. The only time Jiraiya ever mentioned Root was its order to disband long ago. The Hokage knew the order was ignored?

"We are five thousand strong. I'll have them ready to act during the exam on either Suna's move or your signal," Danzo then looked to Naruto. "Tell your sand friends that Root will escort them to safety for the information."

"Danzo, thank you for your assistance. Keep Root in the shadows for as long as possible but go get them ready."

The old man left, leaving Naruto in stunned silence with the Hokage.

"Well, Naruto, now it's your turn," the old man gave a tired smile.

Naruto just blinked and looked at the old man. "That was the most intense conversation I've ever been part of, and you guys just kinda… brushed it off."

The Hokage shrugged. "You go through a few wars and you'll be the same way. Now, we need to discuss your original goal for coming to see me."

Naruto had honestly forgotten about his reveal. It seemed trivial now. "Do you think I still should?"

"I think making yourself known would act as a good boost to the village's image. You remember the plan?"

Naruto nodded. "I get five minutes before my fight with Neji. I plan to Hirashin onto the field with my hood up and seal on so Iwa and Kumo recognize me from their books. I'll drop my hood, explain the Hirashin and my lineage. Then prove my connection to Kurama and scare the shit out of the invaders."

"You know what? Good enough. I have other things to focus on, so I'll let you handle it. Now, I assume there are other things you want to spend your last hour doing, so I'll let you get to them."

Naruto looked up and noticed that it was indeed nine in the morning already. He ran out of the door to find Hinata.

Hiruzen smiled, and then frowned. "And will someone fix my damn walls?"

* * *

Naruto had sent a half dozen clones to look for Gaara and his siblings to tell them the plan. He had to keep quiet about this; if he told anyone it might throw off whatever plan the Hokage had.

Next objective, find Hinata.

Doing so wasn't actually all that hard, he just had to go to where he thought Kurenai lived and he found her walking towards the stadium. "Hinata!"

She saw him and immediately brightened, crashing into him with a tight hug. "Good luck today," she mumbled into his chest.

Naruto laughed in a false show of bravado. "I need no luck!" and the exam wasn't on his mind anymore.

"You feel stronger than the last time I saw you," Hinata said as she pulled away. The couple started the walk to the stadium.

"Does that mean you were feeling me up during that hug?" Naruto earned his arm a slap.

"You know what I mean."

Naruto then had an idea. "Hinata, I want you to watch the matches with my new family! Karin, Haku, and Zabuza will be here today."

Hinata looked at Naruto oddly. "Haku and Zabuza as in the ones from Wave that almost killed you and your team?"

Naruto laughed nervously. "Heh, that's in the past. Karin is an Uzumaki like me, and Zabuza will be my Clan's swords master. I think Haku will be something like a secretary or something, she just came with Zabuza." Not to mention Zabuza and Haku would be more than enough to keep his girlfriend safe.

"Hmm, okay, it'll be nice to meet them," she conceded.

At the gates to the Arena Naruto saw the very group he was talking about. By the time Hinata got her ticket, Zabuza had dragged the girls over to the betting booth. Naruto vaguely remembered sending a clone to retrieve the promised 300,000 Ryo for the taped man. And he had his sword with him, perfect!

"Karin, Haku, Zabuza!" Naruto called out to them as he approached.

Zabuza turned and grunted, but Haku was pleasant enough to wave hello. Karin stared at Hinata.

"This is my girlfriend Hinata," Naruto struggled to say it aloud. He hadn't done that yet, and he almost smiled stupidly when he did so. "I've told you guys about her."

Zabuza looked at her and made the first comment. "Eh. Good job kid."

Haku smacked him on the arm and Karin smiled a little too sweetly.

Naruto tried his best to keep a straight face. "You girls go ahead and get to know each other better, you're all going to be pretty important in my life sooner rather than later and I'd rather you get along. I'm gonna talk to Zabuza about these bets."

Naruto weaved his way to the taped man who was next in line to place his bets.

"What's the deal kid, you know I have this under control."

Naruto spoke lowly. "I want you to keep Hinata with you and keep our group safe. I have reason to suspect something more to happen in this Exam."

Zabuza glanced at Naruto. "Sounds official, I won't ask. You can count on it."

Naruto nodded. "Thank you."

Zabuza was next in line. "What odds you giving me for this kid?" he asked gruffly.

The civilian in the booth looked at Naruto skeptically. "The _Uzumaki_ kid?"

"Yeah. I got him winning the whole thing."

The civilian laughed once, much to Naruto's dismay. "You know he's fighting a Hyuuga first right?"

"Give me the damn odds."

"Well. The Hyuuga is a prodigy and you're the first person to even consider the Uzumaki. I'll give you 3:1 for his first match just because he was technically trained by a Sannin. 5:1 for a consecutive bet. If he makes it to the third I'll give you 7. 10:1 for him winning the whole thing. We'll do it consecutively, so your winnings will all go towards the next bet and it's all or nothing. How much would you like to bet?"

"I've got 300,000 for my first bet, and I wanna do the same separately with 50,000."

"Well, if you take the chance now, I can lock in your odds or the duration of the competition. If he somehow wins the entire thing, you'll come out with 633,000,000 Ryo from your initial bet. In the rare chance of this happening, fifteen percent would go back to the village. You would keep 583,050,000 Ryo. The secondary prize from your second bet would net you 105,600,000 and you would keep 89,760,000."

Naruto actually fell onto his ass when he heard the amount. That was ludicrous! Maybe he had to get into betting more…

"And you can't change my odds once you see how good he is, yes?" Zabuza pressed, keeping a businesslike tone.

"Sure, sure. It'll all be on your receipt."

Zabuza handed the man the money and received a pair of receipts. Naruto was gonna be rich after this. You know, if the village didn't burn to the ground or whatever.

Naruto went up into the stands to get ready for his grand entrance, a new bounce in his step from the prospective winnings.

* * *

_View from the Kage Box. Attending: Hokage, Raikage, Tsuchikage, Kazekage,_

"Quite the lineup this year, Hiruzen," Onoki, the Tsuchikage, commented. The diminutive man was just as old as his Leaf counterpart, but his eyes were much colder. His short stauture did little to show the world that he was still as dangerous as he was ten years ago, and his hunched gait threw off potential foes even further. Onoki stroked at his greyed beard as he spoke, completing the image of a wise old man.

"Yes, I don't remember attending such a large event in a long time," A, the Raikage, added. A's seat seemed to struggle to hold all of the massive man, his bulging muscles giving him the intimidating outlook one would expect of a Kage in his prime. A's powerful muscles seemed to bulge with every movement, even one as simple as shifting in his too-small chair.

"This generation is full of gems, I am proud of my young ones for doing so well," Hiruzen smiled in reply.

"Yes, how many of them are rookies this year?" The Kazekage asked. His name was Rasa, and he had an entirely different outlook to him. While Hiruzen and Onoki embodied the wisdom brought through several wars and A showcased blatant and overwhelming strength, Rasa had a lithe look that appeared equally as deadly as the Raikage's strength. He was completely covered, his hat and robes accompanied by a facemask that only allowed his calculating eyes to peek out into sight. This was a man who was both cunning and ruthless enough to hold his position during the trying times of war.

"Three of them, Rasa. Every member of Team 7, Hatake's team, made it to the finals."

"Are these your replacements for the Sannin?" A joked roughly.

"I'd be hard pressed to find a bunch as impressive as your own brats, Hiruzen," Onoki added on.

"Naruto and Sasuke have both met my expectations, while Sakura has far exceeded them. They will surprise us yet, believe me!" the Hokage insisted.

"The Uchiha and the Uzumaki on the same Team? Little stacked don't you think?" Onoki prodded. "In fact, the only Uzumaki from your village I can recall was Kushina…"

A shifted uncomfortably at his villages implied abduction attempt. Granted, it was his father's choice, but he had to bear the cross of shame either way. Maybe it was time to turn the heat onto Onoki…

"Wasn't she fairly close with a certain Hokage?" A pressed back. It was all assumption, but there were rumors between Kushina and the Yondaime.

"Oh, I forgot about that tidbit of information," Onoki didn't back down nor did he get riled.

"Please," Rasa interrupted them. "Let this exam be about the children here today, not their parents before them."

"Well said, Rasa," Hiruzen said amicably. It was odd, the man seemed completely normal, but Hiruzen heeded Naruto's warning and kept an eye on him.

"From what I've heard, This Uzumaki has a head of hair much like a certain someone I knew quite well," A added regardless.

"That is enough, Lord Raikage," Hiruzen said with finality. "I will not let this showing of our genin devolve into a bickering contest between old men."

Onoki laughed at the old comment, aware that he was the main target of the jibe. "Hiruzen, I wanted to reassure you. I have made no orders on my village's foolish 'blond hunting' as everyone calls it. That's all done by rogue ninja who can't drop a grudge, and the ones I catch are punished accordingly."

"That is good to hear, Onoki," Hiruzen replied, waiting anxiously for Naruto to show up.

There was a loud bell that tolled once, usually for the start of a match. Everyone went silent and looked around in confusion for the reason of the tolling.

A single spinning kunai was sent into the air from the stands, high above anyone's head. It came to a slow stop at its peak, and if one looked closely, they could see that it had three prongs. There was a simultaneous poof, and the sky was filled with first smoke and then falling triple pronged Kunai.

The weapons all fell into the dirt of the stadium, and everyone waited with bated breath.

Flashes. Golden flashes seemed to appear in random spots throughout the scattered metal projectiles. Then, all but the center Kunai poofed out of existence, and a hooded figure stood in a crouch with arms outstretched in what appeared to be a finishing stance, twin Rasengan in each hand. It was a move well known, the favorite of Konoha's beloved Yondaime.

Onoki spoke lowly, his eyes never left the downturned head of the man. "Hiraishin… Rasengan… Hiruzen, you sneaky bastard."

A was just as speechless, mimicked by the crowd. Then, the hooded man looked up at the Kage booth, showing that his face was completely black, seemingly hidden in shadows. The man stood up straight, releasing his hold on the Rasengan and letting them fade.

"This is your Shadow Reaper, eh Hiruzen?" the Raikage said gruffly, recognizing the man from his bingo book.

"He's much more than that," Rasa started.

"He's a Namikaze," Onoki ground out through grit teeth.

The man dropped his hood, showing his blond mop of hair and piercing blue eyes, locking gazes with his Hokage.

Hiruzen finished, "He's Naruto Uzumaki."

* * *

Naruto stood tall in the center of the arena. After locking eyes with his grandfather figure, Naruto slowly spun, eyeing the speechless crowd in a full 360. When he got back around to the Kage box, Naruto held up the Ram seal to use the Voice Amplification technique a proctor showed him.

"Citizens of Konoha, honored guests, and my fellow shinobi," Naruto started. He should have hit everyone in that greeting, Daimyo's included.

"Many of you know of me as Naruto Uzumaki, the burden of the village, scourge of the Yondaime, and the Kyuubi reincarnate. I am here today to clear a few things up."

Many of the people in the audience flinched at his words.

"First off, as many of you have deduced, I just showcased the two signature moves of the Yondaime Hokage, the Hiraishin and the Rasengan. Many of you already know by now that I am not actually his scourge. I am his Legacy... I am the legitimate son of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki. After today I will take up residence in my parents' compound and take up my seat on the council."

Naruto could hear his own heartbeat, and it still felt like everyone was holding their breath. "I am abolishing the Third's law about speaking of the Kyuubi with his full support. I am also going to show you the error of your actions up to this point," Naruto continued.

A single red tail manifested behind Naruto. The crowd shifted uneasily at this. "My father put the Kyuubi in me because he believed that I could use its strength to defend this village. To defend you. Which I have done to the best of my abilities.

Another tail emerged. "The real surprise comes in with the Kyuubi himself."

A third tail. "The Kyuubi was hypnotized and forced to attack our village. After many years I found out the truth, and the Kyuubi's original purpose was to protect the Land of Fire."

A fourth tail and the crowd felt the immense chakra pulsating from the blond. "I am on the border of becoming Konoha's first Perfect Jinchuriki. I have become allies with the Kyuubi and overcome the hypnosis genjutsu placed over him."

A fifth and a sixth tail emerged, and Naruto stood in a vortex of power. "I want the people of Konoha to know that you will have this strength protecting you from all threats, within and outside of our walls."

A seventh tail was joined by an eighth, and Naruto did one more spin. "I will destroy any threats to my home, regardless of how I've been treated until now. Just know that I will no longer tolerate any prejudice against me or my family. I am rebuilding the Uzumaki clan, and I hereby state my protection of Karin Uzumaki as a member of my clan. I also state my protection of Zabuza Momochi and Haku Momochi for assistance in covert operations in the past with full support of the Hokage."

The crowd was nearly vibrating at this point.

Suddenly, there was a flush of crows next to Naruto. There was a tall, black haired man that resembled one of Naruto's teammates. Naruto jumped back in surprise and looked to a calm Hokage. Everyone else was panicking though.

Itachi Uchiha, swirling into existence in front of a fully powered Naruto. A fight to be remembered for years to come.

Except for the look Hiruzen was wearing was one of joy, not fear or anger. Naruto stood down and released his cloak.

"I didn't know about Itachi being here, I promise," Naruto mumbled with the jutsu still active.

Itachi spared him a glance and held up his own Ram seal. Naruto felt a burst of Killing Intent that came from the competitor's area and knew Sasuke must have been being held back.

"Hello, Konoha," the man said calmly. There were a few angry shouts in response. Understandable really.

"Like Naruto here, I am back to clear up a few things. My name, and the name of my family."

This silenced the crowd once more.

"The same man that placed the genjutsu on the Kyuubi attacked my family." Itachi started, hitching his voice halfway through in apparent pain. "Months before I forced myself to end their slavery, luckily while my baby brother was out training." The atmoshphere seemed to soften as the memers of the audience began to see Itachi as a suffering human instead of a heartless monster.

"Everyone in my clan didn't have Sharingan strong enough to resist this man. I did."

Naruto felt Sasuke's anger start to subside. It was still substantial though.

"I tried my best for months to subtly break the genjutsu, but I ran out time. My entire family was tricked into staging a coup, and had plans to kill the Hokage."

This drew cries of outrage from the stands, and a few cries of anguish from those who realized what Itachi was saying.

"I… I volunteered to save the Hokage myself. My family deserved more than to be eliminated by faceless men, they deserved to be taken out by another Uchiha, the 'best they had produced'."

Itachi sounded somehow bitter without ever changing his tone.

"I managed to save only my brother. I then went into deep cover to track down the man responsible and accepted the hatred of the village to at least avenge my family. I have spent the last seven years undercover, and I found the identity of the man responsible along with other concerning details."

The crowd held their breath once more. How did they do that so often?

"I have been recalled due to the alarming information I uncovered, and I return only to protect the home my family loved so much. The home I never stopped loving."

Itachi then bowed and placed his forehead to the dirt, asking for the collective forgiveness of the village.

A collective roar rocked the stadium, clapping and calling out Itachi's name. He wasn't only being welcomed back, they saw him as something of a hero.

Itachi rose and gave a soft smile, and he looked as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"I will proctor the exams as my first duty back to the village. Thank you, everyone, for your support. There will be a short five-minute wait for the first round while I finally see my baby brother again."

More cheers for the Uchiha rocked Naruto's stunned ears. He knew that the Uchiha Incident seemed fishy, but it went way deeper than he ever expected.

_"_ _Did you catch all of that?"_

**"** **Yes, I did. It's believable. That 'Madara' was definitely strong enough to pull such a thing off."**

_"_ _I hope Sasuke takes this okay…"_

* * *

"So, you reveal a nearly Perfect Jinchuriki who just happens to be the Yondaime's son, give him full rights to his name, and reveal that the Uchiha famous for killing his whole clan in a single night isn't actually a traitor, but a loyal shinobi who placed his village above his family and is back to protect Konoha. Hiruzen, just what the hell are you afraid of attacking you?" the Raikage asked in bewilderment after Itachi left Naruto alone on the field.

Hiruzen looked at each of his fellow Kage in turn, ending his gaze on Rasa. "Absolutely nothing, now."

* * *

The hallway Itachi found Sasuke waiting for him was deserted save for the two of them. Sasuke stood at one end, eyes narrowed in confused hatred. Itachi stood silently at the other end, waiting for his little brother to make the first move.

"What's the truth?" Sasuke demanded.

"The truth would take far more than five minutes to explain," Itachi began. When Sasuke bristled, he continued, "But seventy-two hours should be enough."

And for the next three seconds, they were in another world. They both stood motionless until Sasuke fell to his knees panting. He looked up at his brother, tears streaming down his cheeks, mirroring the blood leaking from Itachi's eye.

"Father really wanted to kill the Hokage?" Sasuke asked quietly.

"Yes. As did everyone else. I just couldn't… I couldn't kill you too, Sasuke," Itachi struggled to say. All his life he had suppressed his emotions. First in front of his father, then while he was ANBU, and then when he was undercover Akatsuki.

"But the Hokage still gave the order…" Sasuke clenched his fist.

"Because Father would have ruined the village. Sasuke, it was the best path to take. And if things would have played out, you eventually would have killed me to restore our Clan's honor."

Sasuke shook in anger before seemingly letting it go. "It's fine. I don't care anymore. I did get your eyes by the way," Sasuke boasted while flashing his Mangekyo Sharingan.

"No," Itachi whispered before falling to his knees. "I had hoped to make it in time to stop you from killing your best friend as I did…"

Sasuke stood tall. "I didn't get them through hatred like you told me to. My team showed me how to love like I had a family again, and that's how I got them. I held my brother as he died. The brother that stayed with me."

Itachi felt both relieved and hurt. "I'm relieved you didn't get them by your own hand, but I'm sorry about your friend."

Itachi then walked towards a stiffening Sasuke, looking past him. "I have to go be Proctor now, Sasuke. We can talk later."

As Itachi passed by his brother, his hand came from nowhere, and to Sasuke's surprise, he received a firm poke to the forehead.

"It was good to see you again, baby brother."

And Sasuke stood and wiped his tears before going to the balcony.


	24. Chapter 24

Naruto stood calmly across from an uptight Neji. Naruto just wasn't sure if it was him or the infamous and insanely powerful Uchiha to his left. Oh well.

"This is a no holds barred elimination fight. Once I determine the round is over, it is over. I will stop any attack I see as unnecessarily fatal and declare the attacker the winner if I feel the need. Are both of you ready?" Itachi asked lowly.

Both boys nodded. Itachi stepped back, amplified his voice for the crowd, and said, "You may begin."

Neji didn't make the first move this time, nor did he say anything about Fate. Naruto brought up a slow Ram seal, making the other boy tense in preparation. Naruto was only speaking though.

"Since this is an exam to showcase our skills, I will work through my arsenal at my leisure. First ninja skill, Summoning!"

Naruto jumped back, biting his thumb and flying through seals as he did so. A horse sized toad appeared in a puff of smoke, tanto drawn and standing ready to fight.

Naruto spoke loud enough for the crowd to hear again as the Toad barreled towards the Hyuuga. "My friend Gama here is the smallest, youngest toad I'll risk in battle. I don't believe that the boss toad would like to be crammed in here, do you, Neji?" Naruto taunted as the other boy dodged swipes and stabs, trying his best to weave his way past the sword to land a blow.

In all honesty, watching Neji fight was nearly mesmerizing. He was both elegant and ferocious, fast and deadly. A single well-placed blow would be enough to deter the toad. Neij's fingertips were all he needed to deflect the sharp blade, and he seemingly never got cut during the exchange.

The crowd chuckled at the joke, not believing Naruto could honestly summon Gamabunta. Neji eventually traded shot with the toad, allowing one stabbing move to grave his hip as he spun inside the toad's guard. One Jyuuken strike to the chest later and the toad was dispelled.

"What's the matter, Naruto? Afraid to fight me yourself?" Neji prodded, cocky after his minor victory.

"Fine, Neji. Ninja skill two: Taijutsu!" Naruto then sped towards the Hyuuga, invisible to most eyes. The Byakugan easily picked him up, though.

Neji smirked, this area was his forte and Naruto was foolish to get in close.

Neji dropped his head to the left to avoid a flying straight punch, swinging his fingers up to Naruto's elbow to stun the appendage. To his shock, Naruto bent it at the perfect time to avoid the strike, almost as if he predicted it. Had he been sparring with Hinata?

A knee flew at Neji's ribs, but Neji didn't stand still to take the blow. Neji back stepped quickly, letting the knee graze his front. With Naruto now in front of him, Neji blasted forward, his hands blurring in their attack.

Naruto smiled, either tapping the inside of Neji's forearms or swaying to avoid the precise strikes. Neji may not have been landing any serious blows, but the minor ones he was able to score on Naruto's arms should have left them fairly deadened. Naruto also wasn't able to hit Neji with any of his counters, the 'Prodigy' always seeing an incoming blow and moving in time to avoid the brunt of it.

Neji's arms sped up, and just when he thought he had Naruto in a proverbial corner, a shadow clone appeared behind him, grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, and threw him backward roughly.

Naruto held up the amplification seal. "I'll admit, Neji is my superior in taijutsu. Darn."

More chuckles from the crowd as Neji stood up and regained his stance.

"How about ninja skill three: Ninjutsu!"

Neji's eyes widened as Naruto took a quick breath and shot an Air Bullet at him. Neji tried to spin for some reason, but the bullet hit him square in the chest, sending him flying end over end into the far wall. Lee probably enjoyed watching that.

Neji moved to stand, but Naruto was in front of him smiling. Neji swept his feet and hit Naruto three times in the body with his Jyuuken.

Neji was about to continue his assault, but Naruto poofed. A shadow clone. Neji had struck out quickly at anything near him after his tumble and had missed the slight differences in Naruto's clone.

"Hey, you took out a clone, great job, oh prodigy!" Naruto announced.

Neji ran back at Naruto, furious and snarling. Naruto inhaled once more, but Neji was ready.

The Air Bullet crossed the distance quickly, and Neji managed to spin. "Kaiten!" There was a deep _whumph!_ As the compressed hit the blue rotating dome around Neji. The Hyuuga section of the stands went crazy, cheering louder than they had ever done before. It wasn't really that loud, but for that clan, it was an achievement.

"I'm impressed, Neji," Naruto started, "I didn't know you had that in your arsenal."

"Fate shines on me yet," Neji snarled, trying to get back into the fight.

"Tell you what. How about I give you a free shot of your choice, that way you can still be considered for promotion? I don't want my _dear comrade_ to feel left out!"

Naruto smiled and held his arms wide, inviting Neji to attack. Everyone in the crowd muttered to themselves in confusion. Namikaze had been doing great, so why was he throwing it away?

Neji wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but he sure as hell made sure he wouldn't get kicked as he charged Naruto. After the first strike to the blond's sternum landed, Neji knew he had an opening regardless of the Jinchuriki's plan. Naruto was within his field of divination.

"Two palms!" Neji struck a pair of tenketsu cleanly.

"Four palms!" the crowd went silent as every strike landed, the shockwaves rocking the blond with every hit.

Neji continued his assault, landing every shot up to his thirty-two-palm variant. Naruto was launched back, and Neji stood in pace, arm still outstretched and panting. He had successfully shut down every major Tenketsu in Naruto's body. He had won.

The ground underneath Naruto cracked as a massive wave of chakra burst from the downed genin. Everyone in and outside of the stadium felt the pure, unadulterated Power Naruto was blasting, and then he stood up.

"Nice. Maybe if you weren't against a chakra juggernaut who can slam chakra out of his tenketsu like me you would have won. Oh well!"

Neji had been blinded by the powerful blast of chakra, and the overwhelming feeling of Naruto's Power left him speechless for a hot second.

"Let's see which of us can maintain a technique longer eh?" Naruto smiled ruthlessly.

Neji saw a much deeper, larger inhale, and knew Naruto was preparing a Great Breakthrough.

The intense wall of wind came bursting forth, picking up rocks and dust as it made its way to Neji. Neji started his Kaiten, and he was safe inside his dome. The wind didn't subside, though, and Neji was starting to get dizzy.

Naruto increased the chakra output of the jutsu, reducing the breath it took and increasing the power. High above the vaulted walls spectators covered their eyes from the harsh winds. Neji's dome faltered, and he was sent careening once more. Before he could hit the wall again, though, a second shadow clone grabbed his passing ankles and dragged him into the ground up to his neck. The original Naruto was suddenly crouched in front of the shocked face, holding a perfect Rasengan an inch away from the Hyuuga's prized eyes.

"I think I win in ninjutsu too," Naruto spoke. He then backed away, allowing Neji to dig himself out.

"Why are you toying with me?!" Neji asked harshly. There was no other word for it.

"I told you a month ago Neji. Be afraid. Skill four! Fuuinjutsu!"

A horde of shadow clones appeared in the stadium, a feat impressive in itself. To top it, though, was the fact that each clone held symbols on each fingertip. It was a specialized seal that Naruto had designed just in case he ever had to help Sasuke with Itachi.

Naruto stood still as his army rushed forward, forcing Neji to lash out wildly with his hands or spin in his protective Kaiten. Neji honestly was impressive, he took out dozens of clones before one finally got in from directly behind him.

The clone slammed his fingers into the back of Neji's head, blowing the other boy's face into the dirt. After the successful shot, the clones all popped, leaving only the original and Neji. Neji stood shakily, mumbling to himself and feeling his face for something. His Byakugan was off, and something was clearly wrong.

"…see… I can't see!" Neji started to panic, prodding at his eyes. He was hyperventilating, truly believing he was forever blind. Naruto calmly walked up to him, allowed another blazing seal to appear on three of his fingertips, and smacked the Hyuuga across the cheek. The slap's echo resounded throughout the arena.

Neji lay sprawled out in the dirt, unable to see or move.

Naruto spoke to the crowd again, "Looks like I win in Fuuinjutsu too. Proctor, both of his seals will wear off in ten minutes, but as of now he can't see or move. Is it my win?"

Itachi barely managed to get out, "Winner, Naruto Namikaze," before the crowd burst into explosive cheers. Naruto waved as he made his way back to the balcony where his friends were waiting for him.

* * *

On his way up the stairs, Naruto ran into Jiraiya.

"You sure do talk a lot during your fights now," Jiraiya commented as he fell into step with his godson.

"It wasn't a fight, it was a show," Naruto defended while smiling. "It's not the same thing, and I was just entertaining the crowd.

"We were entertained all right! The Hyuuga might hate you though," Jiraiya joked.

"Eh, live and learn and all that."

"You know, you gave the Hokage one hell of an idea with that voice amplification. Sometimes the little conversations between fighters are the best thing about the fight, and he wants me to put a seal on everyone to keep the jutsu active."

Naruto looked at Jiraiya with a grin, "Aren't I just an innovator?"

Jiraiya shook his head. "Look, kid, you're good. Really good, even. Just don't lose sight of the bigger picture here. Not today."

Naruto stopped before going to see his friends. "I haven't forgotten, Sensei. I had a debt I owed to Neji, I just had to pay it back with a little interest today. I'll rein myself in, don't worry."

Jiraiya ruffled Naruto's hair and placed a seal on his throat. Naruto felt the new connection and knew that as soon as he allowed it to open, he would have his voice amplified.

"I assume you can control it yourself. I gotta head down to the entrances, everyone else needs one as soon as they get out there. Keep it up, kiddo."

With that, Jiraiya went back down the stairs and Naruto walked into the small group of contestants waiting for him.

"Well, I guess you got him back," Sakura greeted him.

"I think I did okay, yeah," Naruto grinned back at her.

"Naruto if you blind me, I swear to Kami I'm cutting off your future children in your sleep," Sasuke grunted from his post of leaning against the railing.

"Untwist your panties, Sasuke. I was planning on giving you that seal back when we still thought your brother was evil."

Sasuke didn't say anything to that.

Sakura accepted a hug from both teammates, before heading down to her match, and Naruto took position next to his friend to watch the fight.

"How are you handling him coming back like this?" Naruto asked softly.

Sasuke didn't speak for a while, not breaking the silence until they saw Sakura walk onto the field. "I'm… holding up. There's more to the story that I want to tell you two later, but for now, I guess I should just be happy to have my… brother back."

Naruto was always surprised by his usually stoic teammate. He didn't speak about himself often, but more now since Kaito's death. When Sasuke did open up though, he was usually pretty articulate about what he was feeling.

"We'll be here when you're ready, you know that."

"Hn."

Kurotsuchi was still not yet on the field, likely arguing with Jiraiya about letting the pervert touch her long enough to apply the seal.

"Naruto!" Temari called as she made her way to him.

"Hey, Temari. How's Gaara doing?" Naruto asked.

"I am fine, Uzumaki," Gaara's voice hadn't changed much since the last time they spoke, but his tone was more controlled and there was less anger in his voice.

"I take it you guys are friends now? You have a habit of making friends with people we fight," Sasuke joked, never taking his eyes from Sakura on the field.

"Yes," Gaara answered before Naruto could. "I consider Uzumaki my first friend. He has helped me in the past, and I owe him for that."

Naruto waved Gaara off. "Friends don't keep debts, Gaara. Don't worry about it."

Temari spoke next. "I'm glad we made the right choice," she spoke cryptically.

Naruto glanced at Sasuke, trusting him even though he didn't say anything.

Temari continued, "Naruto, I think that's the biggest wind jutsu I've ever seen without a fan!"

Naruto then started the lesson on how long Temari could talk about wind-based ninjutsu.

* * *

Sakura stood impatiently as she waited for her opponent to emerge. Eventually, she did, scratching at her neck where the seal Jiraiya placed was. She could be heard mumbling incoherently, the seal amplifying everything.

Itachi also had a seal applied, and when the two were both in ready stances, he repeated, "This is a no holds barred elimination fight. Once I determine the round is over, it is over. I will stop any attack I see as unnecessarily fatal and declare the attacker the winner if I feel the need. Are both of you ready?"

Both girls nodded, and as soon as Itachi said "Begin," Kurotsuchi flew forward.

Sakura dropped back, throwing a few senbon as she did so. They were easily dodged, and Kurotsuchi formed a mass of rock over her right hand. Sakura dodged a few swings from the technique, slicing where she could at the other girl's ribs with a kunai.

Sooner than Sakura would have liked, she was flung back by a powerful kick. Nothing nearly as strong as Sasuke's, and nowhere near Naruto's, so she got up without delay. Sakura threw the kunai and followed it, smirking when it got embedded in the rock fist. It wasn't too hard, then.

Sakura ducked a straight punch from the earthen appendage, and she rose with an uppercut laced with all the finely tuned chakra she could manage. The arm didn't explode, but chunks did go flying in multiple directions as Kurotsuchi jumped back in pain.

* * *

In the stands, Tsunade raised an eyebrow at the spectacle. Next to her holding a pig was her assistant and first apprentice, Shizune.

"Tsunade-sama, was that something akin to your technique?" Shizune asked.

"A basic version, yes. But she'll figure it out before too long at the rate she's going…"

Both gasped when they saw Sakura use the Mystical palm on her now-injured hand, taking the time Kurotsuchi was using to free her arm of mangled rock and shake some feeling back into it.

"A combat medic? She seems quite good," Shizune commented. The pig in her arms oinked in apparent agreement.

"Yes, it seems I have found my next apprentice for the hospital. Who would have guessed it would have been the teammate of Jiraiya's brat?" Tsunade smiled as she saw the girls square up once more. She always did have a sweet spot for strong kunoichi with a passion for healing.

* * *

Sakura finished healing her bruised knuckles. She was _not_ punching another rock like that. Bad idea there.

"Who the FUCK just punches rocks?" the Iwa girl complained loudly, earning a chuckle from the crowd.

Sakura got back into her stance and replied, "I know a certain taijutsu specialist that does much crazier things than that."

If you listened closely enough, you could almost hear a faint 'Yosh!' in the background.

"Well, I guess it's about time we kicked things up a notch yeah?" Kurotsuchi commented before going through a few hand signs.

Sakura was forced to run around the arena floor, dodging the protruding stalagmites that tried to impale her. As she ran, Sakura weaved the signs necessary for the Descending Hell Technique.

Kurotsuchi screamed as she stared into the empty sky, utterly convinced that a massive Fireball was headed straight for her. She blasted through some seals and used her Rock Shelter technique to create an earth dome. Sakura sprinted at her before she realized her mistake and laced a second ninjutsu outside of the dome.

Kurotsuchi realized the fireball was a genjutsu with no small degree of anger. She broke the jutsu and dropped her dome, seeing Sakura sprinting at her in a flurry of flowers. Kurotsuchi broke that genjutsu as well, but not in time to avoid one of Sakura's enhanced punches to her jaw.

The Iwa girl went flying, and she sunk into the earth as soon as she touched it. Sakura prepared herself for anything, paying close attention to the dirt at her feet.

Kurotsuchi flew into the air a fair distance from Sakura and spat white gunk at her. Sakura tried to jump the white projectile, but it caught her feet. She fell and was immediately blasted with water.

The substance around her legs hardened to something like cement, and she was immobilized. And when a kunai was held at her throat, she was beaten.

"Sorry, girlie, but my Quicklime is a bitch to beat."

The crowd cheered for a good showing as Itachi declared the winner. Sakura waved in slight sadness to the crowd, hoping her parents were proud of her.

Itachi broke the cement easily, making Kurotsuchi a bit upset before remembering who it was. The two girls walked off the field at the same time, earning another cheer from the crowd for their sportsmanship.

* * *

Jiraiya was there to remove their seals, and they started up the stairs.

"So, Sakura right? That Namikaze kid your teammate?" the Iwa girl made a bit of small talk.

"Yeah, but we all just found out today too, he's really good at keeping secrets," Sakura replied in good humor.

"You might wanna tell him to watch his back, my village is full of nuts who hated his old man. They might go crazy."

Sakura gave a single, barking laugh in defense of her teammate. "I think Naruto can handle it."

Kurotsuchi chuckled as well, and the rest of the trip was made in silence.

Sasuke was up next, and the Blond haired Kumo shinobi that beat Kiba was his opponent. His name was Atsui, and he wore an easy smirk. Sasuke was much more concerned with the proximity of his older brother.

Itachi said the usual spiel about the rules of the match, and when both boys said they were ready Itachi allowed them to begin.

Atsui drew his katana as Sasuke allowed his Sharingan to swirl into the Mangekyo.

"You think your eyes are so hot, don't you pretty boy?" the kenjutsu specialist called out. "I'm not scared of some fancy balls in your skull! Bring it on!"

Sasuke struggled not to get into a screaming match with the ignorant blond. Sasuke could easily see the fire based chakra surrounding his opponent's blade, and he felt no sense of urgency. Based on what he'd seen this guy had nothing but his sword to rely on.

"Okay," Sasuke said coolly.

Much to the crowd's delight, Sasuke kept his hands in his pockets and strode forward calmly. Atsui had no idea what was going on, so he dashed forward and lunged with a loud yell.

Sasuke had no issue following and avoiding the path of the blade. Sasuke avoided every swing for about half a dozen swings befoes firing of a chakra laced kick.

Atsui jumped back at the impact, trying to lessen the blow as much as he could. Sasuke just shook his head.

"Are you seriously not taking me seriously with these eyes? With my name? Do you know who our Proctor is?"

The crowd cheered for Sasuke at that point, getting the youngest Uchiha to smirk while his opponent scowled.

"Fine! But just remember that you asked for this!" Atsui roared as Sasuke watched his blade heat up even more.

Suddenly, there was a wave of fire coming at Sasuke. The flaming arc obviously came from the sword itself, and Sasuke honestly struggled to avoid all of the arcs of flame.

Once Atsui finished, he adopted his usual smirk of confidence. "Was that hot enough for ya?"

The Kumo portion of the stadium cheered at the proclamation but was drowned out after Sasuke responded with, "I guess I'll have to take my hands out of my pockets. Good job, I guess."

Konoha went wild at that, seeing their longtime favored Uchiha remain calm under the heat. Honestly, Sasuke had borrowed that line from Naruto from one of their first dozen spars, but he was sure Naruto wouldn't mind.

Sasuke then sped to the left, leaving Atsui struggling to keep up with his speed. Naruto's gravity seal training really helped him in this regard. Atsui barely managed to block the swinging kunai, and he was grateful that Sasuke didn't have a sword with him.

Before the Kumo nin could form a counter, Sasuke zipped away again. There was a blow to Atsui's back, and blood flowed from a long horizontal cut from Sasuke's kunai.

Jumping away again and realizing how utterly outclasses he was, Atsui resorted to wild swings that resulted in a near wall of flame.

Sasuke jumped back while forming the few signs he needed. "I'll show you a real fire jutsu."

Atsui's desperate blades of flame were completely engulfed by Sasuke's massive fireball. Atsui had to dive to the side to avoid what he could but still groaned in pain as his left leg was severely burned.

Before the blond Kumo nin knew it, Itachi was holding the back of his shirt with one hand and Sasuke's descending kunai in the other. Sasuke seemed equally surprised, his brother's speed astounding even his Mangekyo.

"Winner by decision, Sasuke Uchiha of Konoha."

A great round of cheers went up and only increased when Atsui took Sasuke's reluctantly offered hand. With Atsui now standing with the help of a nurse, Sasuke disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Itachi had to hide a proud smile.

* * *

Next to fight was Tenten and Karui. Tenten could not be happier, this would be her second opponent who was skilled with a sword, something she never got enough practice with. Now, that wasn't saying that Tenten was afraid! Quite the opposite really, and she nearly vibrated in excitement for the opportunity to test herself.

"I saw you go after Omoi with a sword of your own. I'm a lot better than him, you know," the darkly skinned Kumo kunoichi declared.

Tenten smiled and unsealed her katana. Well, one of her katanas. "Good, I don't get enough practice with this beauty as it is!"

Itachi made his way slowly over the introduction of the fight before he leaped back, allowing the girls to begin.

Karui made the first move, rushing straight at Tenten with her sword drawn back. Tenten held firm, knowing that rushing at the more experienced girl would be a mistake. Karui's first tentative swing was ducked rather easily, and Tenten felt more than a bit offended at the lackluster attempt.

"At least treat me seriously!" Tenten growled, slashing upwards harshly.

Karui smirked, allowed her blade to ride Tenten's swipe, and ended with a pommel strike to the bun-haired girl's chin. If Tenten had this much of a temper the fight would be easier than she thought.

Tenten staggered back, holding her jaw in her off hand. Her eyes narrowed before her entire demeanor shifted. Lee was supposed to be the passionate one on her team, Tenten was the analytical one.

Karui lunged forward again as soon as Tenten seemingly relaxed. To her shock, the girl flowed around her blade, never making contact with the deadly weapon in the slightest. Maybe she was more competent than Karui gave her credit for.

Karui smiled then, knowing she would get an actual fight out of this. She jumped back into the fray, trading swing after swing with Tenten.

Many sword users preferred to parry strikes in order to keep their stance rigid. Tenten was not one of those kinds of girls, never being allowed to stand still when sparring with Neji made sure of that. Tenten circled her less mobile opponent as they fought, dodging in a way that always led her into a position to counterattack.

Tenten knew the Kumo girl was good, but this was more than she expected. Every one of Tenten's strikes was either blocked or turned away with a flick. Tenten knew she would have to get creative to win here, her inherent skill falling short of this other girl's years of practice and experience.

"I thought you said you didn't get to practice with a blade?" Karui huffed after jumping back. Both girls honestly needed the breather after testing one another so intensely.

"I don't," Tenten smiled and resealed her sword. "My team is known for gifted genin. Neji is the best Jyuuken user our age, Lee is known for killing himself for his insane taijutsu skills, and me?"

Tenten jumped back and away from Karui, hurling kunai with pinpoint accuracy at the surprised girl.

"I am the best with weapons. No one has better aim, and I just _know_ how to use anything with a blade!"

Karui cursed and sprinted at the now ranged fighter. Tenten threw shuriken and senbon in the most troublesome places, forcing Karui to conrrot her body to avoid them all. It wasn't the sheer volume that gave her issue, it was just the fact that they were spaced so perfectly that she had to block one, dodge two, and make sure not to get hit with the two that followed the dodge. It was almost like the weapons kunoichi knew where she would be.

Tenten stayed at range, trying her best to find weak points in Karui's charge or stance. So far, the only place she seemed defenseless was from behind…

Karui grit her teeth, getting tired from the constant barrage of weapons. Where did she keep them all? "Looks like I'll have to pull out all the stops," she muttered. In fact, she really had to before Tenten pulled out the scrolls she used on Omoi...

Karui slid under the next batch of shuriken, something Tenten hadn't seen her do yet that caught her by surprise. Karui then rose quickly, just in range for her technique. "Front Beheading!"

In a burst of speed and no small amount of chakra, Karui seemed to fly forward. Tenten had just enough time to duck the slash, only losing the top part of one bun. That wasn't the extent of Karui's attack, though. Karui grabbed Tenten's shoulder as she flew past, and used a pure lightning manipulating jutsu to send volts streaming through Tenten's body.

Tenten let out a gurgled scream, convulsing madly as the shock coursed through her. She dropped to the dirt, twitching every few seconds as Karui's blade rested on her throat.

"Winner, Karui of Kumo," Itachi called as medics rushed to the field.

Karui accepted the cheers but walked away utterly spent. She didn't have a lot of chakra to use since she relied almost solely on kenjutsu. Usually, it was enough to boost her speed and strength, and it was good for two or three bursts of speed required for the Front Beheading, but doing anything with her element drained her. Like Atsui, she had been learning to channel chakra for her sword, but she could get good results for doing so on people too. It was just a lot.

* * *

Gaara stood on the field, his sand already spread throughout the arena. Dosu was running a bit late, seeing as Jiraiya had held him up during the amplification sealing. Gaara was bored. He wanted to fight Naruto.

Dosu finally came out of the side hallway, grumbling and fidgeting with his seal. Did normal people not like the feeling of having seals on them? Pathetic.

"You gotta go down, sand boy. New orders of mine and all that," Dosu taunted.

Gaara would have narrowed his eyes if he could force himself to care. So what if the showy threat was actually letting Gaara know that his father had ordered this man to kill him? It wouldn't be the first time, and ever since Gaara had started sleeping and becoming less easily influenced his father had seen less and less reason to keep him around.

Itachi made it through his pre-fight explanation, and as soon as he said "Begin," Gaara won the match.

Gaara stood with his right hand calmly outstretched, the middle finger pointed at Dosu as the rest stayed relaxed. Dosu was enveloped in the sand that once surrounded him, having no time to react in the first place. Gaara saw the panicked look in his eyes, Dosu knew what was coming. What an idiot for challenging his existence like that…

"Desert Burial," Gaara turned his palm upwards, keeping his fingers relaxed. The sand enveloped Dosu's struggling head. With the easy clench of his fist, Gaara made Dosu implode, forcing his bloody remains out the top of the sand cocoon. The crowd screamed, especially those in the red 'splash zone'.

Gaara didn't wait for the announcement, he simply turned and walked away. He kept forgetting that normal people didn't like to be in contact with the inside of other people. Things to learn, things to remember…

* * *

Onoki had saved the assembled Kage with a hasty Earth Wall, Keeping them all dry and unblooded.

"Thank you, Onoki," Hiruzen said as the Tsuchikage dropped the jutsu.

"Yes," A added while scratching his massive bicep, "I believe I would have gotten a face full of liver otherwise."

Rasa chuckled. "That's my youngest for you. He may have calmed down this last month but he still lacks tact."

"He's definitely strong enough," Onoki complimented as he watched the cleanup crew work. "But I haven't seen any other attributes a chunin would have."

"Be patient, it is still the first round."

* * *

The last fight of the first round was between Temari and Zaku. Unbeknownst to Temari, Zaku had orders to forfeit the match after Temari had shown her abilities. Orochimaru wanted him in top condition for something during the invasion, and he wasn't going to disobey orders for the sake of his pride.

Zaku knew he wouldn't really stand much of a chance anyway, the girl standing across from him had much more control over the air than he did. Even with Orochimaru's modifications to his arms and his natural affinity for the wind, Temari trumped him in almost all aspects of the element.

Temari, who had no idea about the situation, spoke after Itachi started the fight, "You would be smart to surrender now, Zaku. We both know how this is going to end."

Zaku decided to stay in character, hoping his master would take notice of his faithfulness. "You never know, Temari! This may be the last day you swing your fan!"

Temari genuinely laughed at that. "You rely solely on air to transport your soundwaves, Zaku. You rely on the one thing I have near mastery over."

Temari whirled her massive fan and slammed it into the dirt in front of her, making Zaku flinch.

"You see this moon, Zaku?" Temari partially opened her fan. "You have until you see three of these to surrender. After that, I'll kill you with the next swing of my fan."

Zaku knew she wasn't bluffing, her Sickle Weasel technique only got stronger the more her fan was opened. Instead of showing his apprehension, Zaku fired off a sound burst from his arms, more soundwave and chakra than true wind.

Temari spun gracefully to her right, and when she faced forward again, her fan whipped around in front of her in the same motion, firing off a Sickle Weasel Technique in Zaku's direction.

The ground suffered a handful of deep gouges, and Zaku dove to the side, just out of the width of the destructive jutsu. The far wall suffered lacerations that made it look like a great bear had tried to climb it.

Zaku tried running a serpentine towards Tamari, but she simply swung her fan once more. Zaku was forced to use an air blast from his arms to dodge the attack, and he still felt the cutting power of the wind whisper by his face.

Temari looked bored. This genin wasn't fast enough to beat her wind, nor was he strong enough to overpower it. Why wouldn't he just give up? Might as well pull out the second moon…

"Okay, try this on for size!" Zaku called out in mock confidence.

Zaku fire off a pair of cutting waves, not unlike Temari's Sickle Weasel. Temari didn't even bother mustering the control for her signature move and opted instead for a rough but powerful Great Breakthrough.

Zaku held his ground against the wind for a split second, his arms crossed protectively in front of his face. It was for nothing, though, and he eventually was blown away, his back scraping against the ground roughly before his neck bent awkwardly into the wall. That was all he could take without risking himself for his Master's plan… and Temari hadn't even used the refined version of the technique!

"Time's up, Zaku!" Temari yelled, and her fan was fully opened.

Zaku's eyes went wide, and he saw death looking at him from the eyes of a pretty blond. Her fan came around, and the massive wall of cutting wind that came for him had no escape. "I surrender!" Zaku tried, but he knew he waited too long. He shut his eyes tightly and waited for the pain to come.

It never did, but the crowd cheered loudly all the same.

Itachi was holding the poor boy, the wall behind him left with foot deep gashes made by the long-distance attack. The eldest Uchiha looked as if nothing had happened, even his hair seemed unaffected by the wind of both his speed and the jutsu.

"Winner by forfeit, Temari of Suna."

Even more cheers erupted at the statement, and Zaku knew that he had done his job.

* * *

Rasa had excused himself from the Kage box to use the restroom at the end of the first round. There would be a five-minute interlude instead of the usual fifteen between rounds since Hiruzen wanted to show off more of his little genin.

In the bathroom, a man from Suna was just exiting one of the stalls and promptly bowed to his village leader. In doing so, he indicated that they were alone and safe to speak openly, if at reduced volumes.

"Find Kabuto and tell him to call off the invasion. With two of the Sannin here _and_ Itachi Uchiha, there is no way we would be successful, even with the reinforcements form Kiri."

With a muttered, 'Yes, sir," the man walked casually from the restroom, leaving the Kazekage to wash his hands in one of the sinks. Things couldn't have gone worse for the man, it was almost as if Hiruzen had been tipped off and recalled his strongest fighters… but Orochimaru knew his ranks were secure. His people worshipped him. All that was left to do was bide his time and try again.

On the way back to his seat, the inconspicuous Suna shinobi was grabbed by a fast hand and transported elsewhere. No one witnessed the phenomenon, but before a full minute had passed the man was back with a glazed look in his eye. If one listened closely, you could hear him muttering dazedly, "Attack with everyone as soon as the final match..."


	25. Chapter 25

Lee bounced in place excitedly, his weights already off and his adrenaline doing its best to replace his blood entirely. Lee had waited years to finally face his very first Eternal Rival in a setting such as this and to do so now with witnesses to see the fruits of his hard work was nothing short of amazing.

Neji was supposedly fine after his bout with Naruto, having used almost no chakra, suffering only minor physical injuries, and having a full hour to recover. Now, it was Lee's turn to take a shot at the Hyuuga Prodigy, and he wasn't going to let anything get in his way.

Neji walked calmly out to his designated starting spot, and he looked at his cheerful teammate. Naruto's beating may have wounded his pride more deeply than anything ever had before, but if anything could repair it, it would be beating on Lee. As harsh as that sounded, Neji had always seen his fights with the taijutsu specialist as therapeutic.

Neji had accepted so many of his pointless challenges over the years that they became commonplace, and Neji honestly looked forward to some of them. Lee was a constant in his life, annoying or otherwise, that was a good distraction from the pressure he put on himself. Not that he would ever tell Lee, though.

As it stood, Lee could never work hard enough to surpass Neji's gifts from Fate. It just wasn't meant to be.

"Neji, my first Eternal Rival! Today we truly decide which of us is the better shinobi! You, a genius in your family, or me, a genius of hard work!" Lee's overly loud voice always did have a way of carrying, even without the seal.

"Yes Lee, Let's decide things once and for all. You better not hold back, because we only get ten minutes," Neji warned his… friend.

Itachi then spoke up from between the boys. "This will be a timed exhibition match. There will be no killing blows permitted, and I will stop any I see. Aside from that stipulation, the same rules apply from the regularly scheduled fights. If after ten minutes a winner hasn't been decided, I will make a judgment call."

Lee held up a pair of thumbs and gave a bright smile to show his understanding, and Neji gave a curt nod.

"You may begin."

Neji activated his Byagukan, and he froze when he saw something alarming within his teammate.

"Three Gates is the maximum amount of power I can use before risking your death. Gate of Life! OPEN!"

Lee had trained over the month to get his release time down. He could now open the first three gates all at once, a testament to his hard work.

Neji almost shit himself. He was counting on shutting down Lee before he could open any.

Lee moved, and Lee disappeared.

Neji whirled around to meet him, his eyes straining to follow the speeding green blur. Lee came crashing down on Neji with a powerful punch, one that Neji managed to sidestep and avoid completely.

The ground wasn't so lucky, and the resulting crater made the entire crowd aware of just how deep the shit Neji had gotten himself into this time was. Probably about knee-deep, going off of crater size.

Neji saw an incoming strike, ducked, and threw a hand laced with Jyuuken at his friend. It didn't even come close, and Lee's deflection likely bruised Neji's arm all by itself. Yup, if Neji got hit he was getting hospitalized.

Lee felt alive. He was free to move around as fast as he could, striking as hard as he could, and Neji was fighting his hardest against him. In Lee's eyes, NOTHING was more youthful than a pair of sweaty young men trying their hardest to beat the shit out of each other.

Neji was freaking out. He was constantly on the defensive, only ever managed to dodge or deflect because he could always see Lee, and never got an opportunity to strike back. Lee was just too fast. In Neji's eyes, nothing was scarier than seeing something you couldn't do anything about.

After the fierce bout started to wear down, Neji saw a spike in Lee's speed and knew he wouldn't dodge in time. Spinning violently, Neji forced Lee to kick his Kaiten, tearing the leg of Lee's pants but not even marring his skin. That shouldn't have happened. Something else that shouldn't have happened was Neji _feeling_ the impact of the kick. The sound of it dwarfed the impact of Naruto's Air Bullet, and the blow nearly broke Neji's concentration on his move.

Lee saw the win in his bag. Once Neji dropped his Kaiten, Lee was there. A powerful kick to Neji's jaw sent him hurtling into the air. Lee was there next to him, wrapping his friend in bandages. Lee would soften the blow just enough to avoid killing Neji, which was why he chose to use the Front Lotus instead of the Reverse.

Neji was powerless. If Lee wished to, he could kill the Hyuuga. All Neji could do was close his eyes and wait for the spinning to stop.

It did, but not the way he had expected.

Neji was laying on the ground, a few feet from Lee. His chin and back hurt terribly, but he was conscious. Lee stood with his leg shot upwards, the pose he held when he initially kicked Neji. Lee stood like that with his Gates closed and his bandages fallen to his sides, obviously preparing for the Front Lotus.

Itachi stepped between them and caught a fatigued Lee. "For those of you wondering at the abrupt finish, I have stopped the fight. Lee here was about to utilize the Front Lotus, a move easily capable of killing an opponent of any rank. That being known, I placed both boys under a genjutsu that played out what would have happened. The winner of this exhibition match is Rock Lee."

Cheers went up around the stadium, and everyone was pleased with the extra entertainment. Neji was more depressed than he had ever been before, and he went off to the side door to have his seal removed.

Itachi spoke up once more, "We will have a ten-minute break before the first match of the Second Round begins. It will be between Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze and Kurotsuchi of Iwa. I suggest you take this time to make any new bets you have in mind." Itachi left to the rushing sounds of people. Scrambling to the betting booths. 

* * *

Neji sat under the stairwell, dejected about his pair of humiliating defeats. How had he lost to Lee? That never happens! Lee was the dead last, and Neji was… well, Neji. The loss to Naruto was almost acceptable, seeing as how he had been a monster before his month-long training. Before his time in Konoha, by the sounds of things…

"Neji," Lee said softly from the lit end of the stairwell room.

"Lee. You… you fought well, but I do not wish to speak to you as of now," Neji said as respectfully as he could. He may not have been broken like he could have been, but he still hurt too much to fight Lee again.

"Neji, I do not want you to be upset," Lee persisted as he came closer. "We have always fought, and I have always known that one day I would catch up to you, the person I admire most after Gai-sensei."

Neji was taken aback by that. To be that high on Lee's list was actually incredible. It didn't take the sting from his losses away though. "You were never supposed to catch up to me, Lee."

Lee smiled and sat next to his friend. "But you let me."

Neji hung his head in shame, knowing that Lee was right. He didn't know how, but Neji had let himself slip.

"Do not blame yourself too heavily, Neji. You have not had the easiest time either, and you have held onto too much anger to let your youth shine through."

If Neji could just overlook Lee's use of the despised word it made sense.

"I have my reasons to be angry, Lee."

"So did Sasuke."

Both boys were silent at that. It was well known that once Sasuke overcame his dark past and ever-present hatred he grew in leaps and bounds. It seemed as though as soon as he started to bond with his team his strength appeared to double.

"He is an Uchiha, I am a great Hyuuga—"

"That is your problem, Neji," Lee began as he stood. "You only see yourself as a symbol of your clan, and not as the wonderful shinobi that you are. Yes, you are a Hyuuga. But you are _Neji_ Hyuuga. Don't let the light of your Clan blind you from the youthfulness you have inside you."

When did Lee learn how to speak like this? It was still a bit weird with the youth and all, but Neji was starting to feel a shift.

"I idolize Gai-Sensei because that is the kind of shinobi I wish to be, but I will never let that blind me from living my own life. I hope you can do the same, my Eternal Rival."

Lee left, and Neji had to smile softly at his best friend. Possibly his only friend. Maybe it was time he had a long overdue talk with his uncle. 

* * *

Itachi was walking back from the bathroom and saw the massive line outside the betting booths. There were various shouts of 'Namikaze!' and 'Uchiha!' being thrown around, and Itachi saw one Bookie crying heavily on a bench. Remaining inconspicuous, Itachi strolled by and managed to hear comforting words from the sobbing man's coworker.

"You didn't know. It was only two bets, and Namikaze could still lose to the Uchiha. How bad were the odds you gave?"

Incoherent babbling, at least to Itachi's now distanced ears. A quick turn and Itachi saw both men now sobbing on the bench. Someone was probably getting fired. 

* * *

Naruto was on the field now, standing across from an equally excited was yet to return, and had about two minutes to do so before the time was out. Naruto took to chatting to pass the time.

"Hey, how come everyone in your village hates me again?" he asked, the seal letting everyone hear him.

Kurotsuchi had the decency to look guilty. "No respectable ninja in our village holds the old grudge. But the few that do either remember your father, the Fourth, or lost loved ones to him."

The crowd went quiet when the banter started.

"So, I have people trying to kill me because of my dad? Who… killed people… during a war?" Naruto asked slowly, stretching his arms as he did so.

Kurotsuchi actually seemed upset at that. "It wasn't the fact that he did it! It was how he did it! He just… killed them all. No one had a chance to surrender!"

Naruto resisted the urge to scoff. "You mean they didn't have a chance after the one he gave them right before he started? The one that roughly went, 'I will give you one chance to surrender. You have killed too many of my friends, and if you don't wish to lose yours, you will surrender now'?"

Kurotsuchi balked a bit. "How could you possibly know that?"

Naruto shrugged before replying, "Dad left me journals. That fight actually fucked him up you know. He hated killing people."

Instead of replying directly, the Iwa kunoichi asked, "Is this how the whole fight's going to be? You gonna taunt and toy with me like you did with your 'friend'?"

Naruto shook his head. "No, I just owed that to Neji, that wasn't how I fight at all. In fact, just so you know this is serious," Naruto pulled up his hood and activated the masking seal. "You can fight someone who looks like a proper A-Ranked threat."

Kurotsuchi stopped talking at that, and the crowd started. It was easy to forget that the so far easygoing blond was also known as 'Konoha's Shadow Reaper'.

Itachi decided to arrive then. "The first fight of Round two will follow all the same rules as the fights of the first round. I will still stop any unnecessary killing blows that I can, but you may use any means you can to beat your opponent. Are you ready?"

Kurotsuchi voiced an affirmative and Naruto sunk into a low stance. He would say no more until his match was complete.

"Begin."

Naruto sunk into the ground, surprising his female adversary. "Really? You're going underground to fight someone from _Iwa?_ " She heard her grandfather's sharp laugh.

Unfortunately, Naruto didn't find it all that amusing. A dozen versions of Naruto popped out of the ground like weeds, and there was no way to tell them apart. Kurotsuchi blanched as the horde took in a simultaneous breath. She had seen what he could do with wind.

It took all of the girl's concentration to form and hold up a Rock Barrier, the raging winds outside definitely popping any clones that were caught in it. What she didn't expect, however, was for another Naruto to burst up near her feet, his grabbing hands missing her ankles by inches.

There was no room in the dome for her to do anything remotely productive, so she got out. The walls of her jutsu obeyed her commands as long as she was touching them, and the door she created for herself closed up before Naruto could follow her. The one in her dome was definitely the real one.

Naruto stood in the dark dome for a split second before knowing his way out. His time learning senjutsu had allowed him a slight sensory ability whenever he had his presence extended. It worked like something akin to Nature Chakra as in it was connected to him and whatever it touched. A blast of calm, in order to keep the audience from panicking like they did when he used Power against Neji, and he poured enough chakra into it so it would seep through the rock wall. It didn't take him long to feel his opponent.

A clone popped into existence next to Kurotsuchi, scaring her into slashing at it with a kunai she had readied ad backing away. Surprisingly, the clone did not attack her. Instead, it poofed again but didn't seem to change.

Fuck. He used Kawarimi with his clone.

Naruto blurred from her sight, reminding her that he was also faster than her. Stack that onto him being stronger and having more stamina, she was in a slight pickle. She would just have to be smarter.

Before the blond could get close enough to strike her, she sprayed her Quicklime all around her feet. Just as she planned, Naruto got a foot stuck in it and was halted in his charge. She heard her comrades cheer for her from the stands.

Naruto didn't stay stuck long. There was a brief, golden flash, and he was gone. Where did he leave a Hirashin kunai? Kurotsuchi looked around frantically, covering her arm in rocks to prepare a counter.

Her dome, which had remained standing until now, literally exploded. The shrapnel from the blast actually dug into her rock arm, and the crowd had to duck for safety. Naruto stood there, dual Rasengan in his palms flickering out of existence. At least that meant he wasn't trying to kill her, because he probably would have by now.

Kurotsuchi felt another wave of Calm emanate from the blond and knew to expect a shadow clone. It was just his style. However, knowing something was coming and being fast enough to do something about it were two different things, and the clone that manifested in front of her slapped her in the face. Not so hard that she saw stars, but hard enough to be heard.

Oddly, the real Naruto turned his back to her, drew a kunai, and held an imaginary person hostage. Kurotsuchi took the opportunity since his clone had stupidly dispelled after simply slapping her like a little bitch.

Naruto flashed one more time. One second Kurotsuchi was charging him as fast as she could, and the next she was being held hostage. Naruto's free hand was gripping the cheek his clone slapped and turning her head while he held a kunai to her throat.

"I suggest you yield."

Naruto's tone was low, dark, and entirely business-like. The crowd until that point had heard the fun-loving blond known for playing pranks on those who scorned him, but now they were hearing the A-Ranked ninja capable of killing dozens upon dozens of people.

Kurotsuchi huffed angrily. "Fine. Proctor, I'm yielding."

Naruto let her go gently and pulled down his hood. As Itachi announced him as the winner, he noticed the hardened look finish leaking out of the Jinchuriki eyes. 

* * *

Sasuke stood idly once more, his hands in his pocket and making his fans go wild. Karui wasn't as big of a fan, but Sasuke remained apathetic to her ire.

"I really wish you'd take your hands out of your damn pockets," she snapped angrily.

Sasuke shrugged and mentally prepared himself for the girlish screams he was about to hear. "Okay. Make me, and I will."

Ah, there they were. A couple dozen girls, just off to his left. He'd have to avoid that side when he left the building.

"You'll need more than sword tricks to beat me, you know. You won't be able to swing fast enough to trick my eyes."

Karui knew it would be a challenge, but she felt confident enough. "We'll see."

Itachi did his duty to the crowd before starting the match.

Karui rushed Sasuke first, not wanting him to rile the crowd with his stupid walking.

Sasuke didn't move, but his eyes flashed red, swirled, and then focused in on Karui's blade. All Sasuke had to do was take a step to the side and give her the same kick he did to her older teammate. Fighting kenjutsu users was boring.

Karui was counting on the kick to come. She spun, swinging at his incoming leg as she did. Unfortunately, the damn Uchiha saw that coming too. Instead of the kick flying towards her gut, Sasuke jumped off of his planted foot and nailed her in the head.

Karui stumbled and growled. "Fine."

Rushing back in, Karui channeled lighting to her blade. Even a scratch should open him up to a finisher now. Sasuke saw it and smiled. Big mistake. An angry Karui was a Karui who did crazy things. Things like pool over half of her remaining chakra into a jutsu.

"Bolt Lightning!" and a blast of lighting chakra burst from her fingertips, too fast for even Sasuke to dodge.

Sasuke wasn't considered a genius for nothing, though. It was time to show one of his trump cards. Sasuke moved to his left as much as he could before the bolt struck him. Then he made sure that it struck him in his right arm.

Karui's smirk of victory morphed into a look of horror as she saw her attack stay in his arm. It didn't spread and paralyze him painfully like it was supposed to. Suddenly, there was a loud noise. A chirping. And Sasuke's hand turned blue.

Everyone in Kumo knew of Kakashi of the Sharingan. That also meant everyone knew the description of his famous assassination jutsu, Chidori. It was a lightning jutsu on par with anything her village had ever produced and was rumored to work best if the user had a Sharingan like Kakashi did.

Sasuke has two.

Karui watched the Uchiha rush towards her and could only raise her blade in defense. She got incredibly lucky, and Sasuke somehow missed his mark. Maybe he wasn't used to the move yet? Either way, she was alive, albeit singed on her left arm, and she had put a gash in Sasuke's right hand and forearm.

Sasuke stood a fair distance behind her now. He grunted in slight pain. "I've never tried that using someone else's chakra as a base. That hurt like a bitch."

Ah, that's why he missed.

Sasuke turned suddenly and exhaled an assortment of small fireballs at Karui, and she either dodged them or used her enhanced sword to cut through them.

Annoyed with the fight, Sasuke threw shuriken at her while using his other hand for seals. He really was impressive. Another exhale, and his signature massive fireball came hurtling at her. Karui put all her faith into her sword (and a good deal of chakra) and slashed through it.

The fireball put up no resistance, likely because the chakra supporting it had been cut. It was a distraction then?

Pain. There was a deep pain in her back, and Karui realized what had happened. Those damn shuriken had ninja wire attached to them. Before she could turn herself around, Sasuke was in front of her again, Chidori blazing and blaring with him rushing in for the kill.

Karui knew Itachi would be there on time. He had been in every other case and now was no different. Karui managed to get the first sound of the word 'Yield!' out before the elder Uchiha was in front of her, pushing Sasuke's arm into the dirt directly to her right.

"Winner by submission, Sasuke Uchiha."

And the crowd went wild. 

* * *

Itachi walked out onto the field alone after seeing his brother to the medical bay for the cuts on his arm. They would make sure he was okay enough to fight again but not much more than that. Was Itachi playing favorites a bit by going with Sasuke? Maybe. But who was really going to call out _Itachi Uchiha_?

"I have received word from Temari that she refuses to fight her younger brother and has forfeited the match. Since Gaara is in the final bracket he is granted an automatic Bye and advances to the Finals."

There plenty of groans, more at the lack of a fight than the easy ride Gaara was getting. As far as Itachi was concerned it was just saving as many lives as possible. 

* * *

There was a ten-minute break after Sasuke's match. If there had been anyone willing, Kiba would have been the next genin to fight in an exhibition round. The poor guy was waiting in the side doorway for his signal, but it never came. Apparently, Karui was out of Chakra and Temari didn't want to fight. All Kiba could really do now was go and sit back down with his family. Akamaru was just as unhappy and pissed on the doorframe in protest of the injustice.

* * *

"The semi-final match will take place between Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze and Sasuke Uchiha. All rules are unchanged. Are you both ready?" Itachi announced over a stirring crowd.

Sasuke nodded, but when Naruto looked at him he spoke up, "One second Proctor."

Naruto then walked over to Sasuke, who was looking a bit drained. Consecutive Chidori and a pair of fire jutsu might do that to a guy. Naruto wanted him fresh, not only for the fight but for whatever might happen afterward. Although, Itachi may have been enough of a deterrent to prevent anything fishy.

"Sasuke, come take some chakra. I have a few seals saved up, we can each have one so we can fight at our best."

Sasuke gave Naruto a competitive smirk and nodded. Everyone watching absolutely loved the display of friendship and good nature and watched in awe as Naruto performed an old Uzumaki Sealing Technique. Many had never seen one before, and those who had hadn't in a very long time.

With both boys now rejuvenated and ready to go, Naruto went back to his starting position. Itachi smiled at the two boys, thinking back to his own childhood best friend before he allowed them to start.

There was no nonchalant hands-in-pockets display this time. Naruto had beaten the shit out of people for less of an insult than that. Well, probably. Sasuke wasn't actually certain on that.

Naruto also didn't raise his hood. He wanted to fight Sasuke as a teammate and rival, not as an enemy.

Both boys blurred from view, with Sasuke actually keeping pace with a faster Naruto due to his eyes keeping track of the blond.

Both genin had kunai brandished, and they made several opening passes at each other, testing the waters so to speak. Most couldn't actually see the fight, and that in itself was breathtaking. Suddenly metal was flying, and Sasuke was sniping Naruto's kunai out of the air with his shuriken. Naruto mixed in the odd three-pronged variant, and Sasuke was rightfully worried.

That's when Naruto brought out his army of clones. Roughly twenty of them sped towards Sasuke, and the Uchiha was forced to jump into the air to avoid a surprise clothesline. From his vantage, Sasuke spewed out a multitude of small fireballs. Many of the clones were hit and dispelled by the Phoenix Flower jutsu, and in the fray, Sasuke almost didn't notice the Calm that was sweeping over him. He had to admit, it was as impressive as Naruto's Power, but it was a lot less noticeable. Knowing what was next, Sasuke focused his eyes on his immediate surroundings, preparing a quick counter.

The clone spawned in a dozen feet above him, launching a hail of shuriken as they both fell. Sasuke blocked them all, but he heard a sound he honestly hated by this point.

Naruto inhaling.

Sasuke looked down and saw him begin his exhale, and Sasuke looked around frantically. There was a kunai just off to Naruto's left that would give him some breathing room. A smooth Kawarimi and Sasuke was out of harm's way. Except there was no harm because Naruto never started the damn jutsu. It was a bluff.

Sasuke noticed too late that there was a tri-pronged kunai next to him. He walked right into this one, didn't he? All Sasuke could do was start a powered kick and hope it connected.

It did. Naruto flashed in just as the kick was coming around, leading with a heavy right hook. Both boys took a massive shot and launched each other backward.

The crowd loved every second of it.

Naruto broke his own rule and spoke up, "Sasuke, we both know it'll take more than this to stop either of us, so let's make a deal. Kurama says he'll be able to save me from anything that doesn't destroy my heart or brain completely. How about you avoid that and I avoid anything vital, and we just go all out otherwise?"

Sasuke's response was to bring up a Chidori.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Naruto responded in kind, forming a Rasengan in his right hand.

The duo launched themselves at each other, the roar of the frantic crowd drowned out by the chirping of Sasuke's jutsu.

Naruto knew that this would explode. It would explode violently, shaking the entire arena and possibly injuring both of them. It was going to be epic.

The jutsu met, clashed, and did in fact explode. Quite violently. The boys were thrown back once more, except Naruto sunk into the ground as soon as he could manage while Sasuke rolled along painfully.

Sasuke knew Naruto was underground and watched the dirt when he got back to his feet. Sasuke moved back towards the center of the arena to avoid getting cornered, and that was when Naruto struck.

Naruto didn't come out of the dirt. Naruto came out of thin air, teleporting to another one of his damn kunai on the outskirts of the arena with a massive jutsu prepared just for Sasuke. Naruto flashed in, jumped up, and let off an average sized Pressure Damage. Sasuke's Mangekyo widened when he saw it coming, recognizing the intense and compressed chakra as it flew at him. Sasuke did the only sensible thing and ran.

The resulting explosion's fringes reached halfway to the walls all around it, and the crater it made was a good five feet deep. Sasuke was just fast enough to avoid the attack. Sasuke turned and saw a second massive jutsu bowling at him, a Great Breakthrough. Naruto really was a chakra battery, so it didn't surprise him too much. Sasuke countered with a Great Fireball, overtaking the incoming wind and sending it back with double the power.

Luckily the crowd was up high enough to avoid the devastating combination.

Naruto was then coming up from underneath Sasuke, the dirt beneath the Uchiha churning as Naruto emerged. Sasuke avoided his grasping hands but didn't expect a clone to use Hirashin to get behind him. Sasuke heard more than saw the kunai coming and hurled a trio of shuriken to stop it. Sasuke saw the clone smile.

It was a pronged kunai. And when it stopped in the air, Naruto was there firing off one last Great Breakthrough at close range. Sasuke smiled himself, knowing the game was over and that this gust would smash him into the wall, either knocking him out or giving Naruto time to get him in a submission.

Again, the breath never came. Naruto let his air out, shot out some presence, and while Sasuke's guard was down a clone came to both catch and hold him at knifepoint. That clever bastard. Well, Naruto had the win anyway, so at least Sasuke didn't go hurtling through the air into a rock wall. Again.

"I yield," Sasuke said clearly, the kunai in his side giving him no other choice.

"Winner by submission, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze." 

* * *

"I am so fired." 

* * *

Naruto assured the medics that he needed no time to rest up, and simply popped another one of his chakra seals. He had one left, one he was saving in case someone needed it during the 'afterparty'.

The crowd sure as hell appreciated the expediated match, and Gaara looked just as excited as Naruto had ever seen him. So, Gaara looked totally stoic, but Naruto was pretty sure the vibrating sand was an excitement thing.

"Uzumaki, regardless of how I feel or how this match goes, I shall not kill you," Gaara's monotone was heard by everyone.

"Great! You've already got the first rule of having friends mastered!" Naruto cracked. Gaara didn't laugh though. Didn't even smile. Hmm, small victories.

"This is the Final Round of the Chunin Exams. All rules still apply, are you both ready?" Itachi was definitely getting tired of saying the same thing over and over again. He didn't even wait for a response before saying "Begin."

Gaara brought a hand up in a practiced motion, but he found that he could not point at Naruto long enough for his sand to catch the blond. Naruto had found out that Gaara's weakness was speed. In fact, Naruto, Sasuke, and that Lee guy would honestly give Gaara the hardest fights.

Naruto used all the speed he had to keep ahead of Gaara's sand. Hurling the occasional kunai at Gaara only to be thwarted by his sand shield. None of the kunai got close enough for an effective Hirashin though. Soon enough Naruto had the kunai placed all around Gaara, roughly five feet away from him. Naruto then allowed a wave of Power to leak out as he ran, and Gaara's sand came in closer to avoid a clone in too close.

None of the clones ever came in that close, though. Six of them did spawn in a good twenty yards out, each lined up in a place where there wasn't a Hirashin kunai between them and Gaara. Each clone the fired off either an Air Bullet or a Vacuum Wave, forcing Gaara's sand to circle him protectively.

Each clone then flashed to a separate Hirashin point and lunged at Gaara's sand shield with a Rasengan in hand.

The shield actually held up fairly well, and only one clone got through. Gaara didn't pay it too much attention as his shield crushed each arm, dispelling each clone.

Gaara then found out that the clones, the Rasengan, and even the Hirashin were just a diversion as soon as his sand fell away.

Naruto had already fired off a Pressure Damage in his direction.

Gaara flung up a shield, but he still felt his bones rattle. He was blasted backward, only being saved from a harsh landing because of his sand. Before he could get up, though, a kunai enhanced by Gale Palm sped into the dirt next to him. If Gaara was more talkative he might have started cursing.

Naruto was there in an instant, within Gaara's guard and pummeling the Suna genin with plated fists and the occasional Air bullet to the chest. Gaara's Sand Armor was starting to crack, and the green-eyed boy couldn't think of a way out of his current predicament.

Naruto took a deep breath once more when Gaara knew what to do.

Sand, straight in the mouth.

Naruto jumped away coughing, the crowd laughing until they saw the blood pouring from the blond's lips. Gaara's sand had carved flesh halfway down Naruto's throat before it was hacked out.

Naruto gave a bloody smile and disappeared.

For some reason, Gaara felt like he was in danger.

The entire stadium felt a fraction of Naruto's Malice, and it was still enough to cause some civilians to hyperventilate. Yup, Gaara was in danger. And Naruto knew about the armor now, so he wouldn't hold back on his hits. Just fucking great.

Naruto's everywhere. Blond hair covered every other yard of the stadium, and they all jumped up at once. Gaara looked on in forced apathy. When he saw cumulative Pressure Damages coming his way, all he could do was scrunch his eyes in frustration as he formed the strongest shield he could.

There were Barrier specialists posted in the stands all around the arena right in the front row for this very reason. They threw up a barrier that fell in just inside the tall wall, and it was just in time to save the crowd from what was likely the largest explosion of wind anyone had seen since the last war. Temari was absolutely ecstatic despite the fact that her baby brother was at the brunt of the attack. Gaara could take it.

Gaara couldn't take it. His shield had shattered, and he had been tossed about like a large bovine in a tornado. Just as he was afraid his armor would break as well, he fell to rest. Unfortunately, the real Naruto was there, holding a Rasengan looking like he was going to gut someone. His throat had already healed, but blood still stained his teeth.

Gaara's sand stood no chance against a direct, original Naruto's Rasengan. The shield shattered, but Naruto cut his powerful jutsu as soon as he could see real skin.

_Slap!_

One chakra suppression tag later and Gaara was useless.

"Really, Uzumaki? That's how you want to beat me?" Gaara asked.

Naruto shrugged and held a kunai to Gaara's now exposed throat. "Eh. Temari said it wouldn't work, I wanted to see for myself."

"I yield."

"Winner by submission and Chunin Exam Champion, Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze!"

The roar of the crowd was massive and intense, and Naruto helped his friend up while removing the tag.

"You fought well, Uzumaki. We must fight sometime while utilizing our full strength."

Naruto smiled nervously. "Uh, how about nowhere near a village? Like, ten miles out?"

"Agreeable. How does it feel to be the champion?" Gaara asked, the two of them still standing in the middle of the arena amidst the cheering.

"Gaara, I'm fucking rich," Naruto said suddenly, his eyes widening.

"It feels that good? I must compete in another exam then, I too wish to feel that way."

"No, like I just won 583,050,000 Ryo rich."

Gaara blinked. "I did not take you for a gambler. Congratulations on feeding your new addiction."

Naruto rolled his eyes at his obviously jealous friend and just waved into the crowd some more. He had gone from the lowest of the low in the village to the top pretty damn quick, and he was going to enjoy it while he could. If he knew anything it was that life enjoyed kicking him in the jewels while he was enjoying things.

"Naruto, the wide-scale genjutsu falling over the arena now is the sign for the invasion to begin. I suggest you take action."

Well fuck. 


	26. Chapter 26

Rasa felt the blanketing genjutsu start, even though he gave the order to cancel the attack. Why were his orders ignored? Rasa felt Hiruzen's hard eyes pierce into him as soon as the genjutsu struck, the man somehow knowing who was responsible. The Kazekage began to sweat under his massive hat. There was no way he could pull this off with two of the Sannin here. And then there was Itachi to worry about!

"Rasa, my friend, I'm afraid you have some explaining to do," the Hokage said lowly. The old man hadn't moved from his chair, and aside for his hard gaze, he was the image of calm.

"Hiruzen, believe me, I didn't want this," the nervous man started.

"What's going on exactly?" A asked, knowing he was only seconds ahead of the elderly Tsuchikage.

"It seems our friend Rasa here has seen fit to take advantage of both our treaty and my hospitality," Hiruzen said aloud, never breaking his gaze on the masked man.

Onoki laughed even as the rest of the present ninja either noticed what was happening or fell under the genjutsu. "Really, Rasa? Pulling a page from my history and stabbing allies in the back? We all know how well that went for me."

A crossed his arms in indifference. "I will not get my village involved in another war so soon. Do as you all may but leave me and my own out of it," the large man said as he started to walk away.

Just as the Raikage left, Onoki stood as well. "I think I would like to see how this plays out. Hiruzen, do you think you have it in you to keep beating on these young fools?"

The Hokage glanced briefly at the Iwa elder. "Oh, Orochimaru isn't quite as young as he used to be, you know."

Rasa laughed harshly as Onoki adopted a stunned look upon his wrinkled face. "Well, Sensei!" The Kazekage started as he pulled off first his hat, then his mask, and eventually the skin of his face. "It seems that the years have dulled your mind even less than it has your body!"

Those watching could only look on in disgust as Orochimaru revealed himself. The skin of the Kazekage peeled away in a sticky, distasteful showing, and Orochimaru's own pale skin and evil eyes finally saw the light of day.

"What possessed you to go through with this, Orochimaru?" The Hokage asked, still not rising from his seat.

"If I'm being honest, I attempted to cancel the order during my little 'bathroom break'. It appears that my messenger was intercepted."

The Hokage gave a heavy sigh as he finally stood, making a show of how his old bones pained him. "A shame. It would have been much less trouble for all of us if I had to kill just you."

Without warning, Hiruzen was in front of a shocked Orochimaru. A massive blow to the chin sent the Snake Sannin blasting through the ceiling and onto the roof. Hiruzen ripped away his robes and revealed his old set of battle-tested samurai style armor. The old Hokage crouched, gathering chakra to different points in his body even as he prepared a wide-scale fire ninjutsu.

Onoki smirked as he saw his old counterpart fire upwards, spinning as he went and trailing the flaming chakra of his prepared jutsu from the corners of his mouth. "That poor, young man must have never seen Hiruzen truly fight. If he's lucky, the old softie will be hesitant to kill him."

Onoki realized he was talking to himself, but people stopped judging such things years ago. Looking up at the pair of holes in the ceiling, he continued, "Forget that, I'll go around the long way. My damn back would kill me before they did…"

* * *

Naruto looked around as the genjutsu was falling, his mood getting worse and worse by the second. "Itachi, wasn't your announcement supposed to stop this kind of thing from happening?"

The older Uchiha shrugged his shoulders, his appearance was completely calm. "It was more to keep the village from focusing solely on you and your actions, but my presence was definitely meant to be a deterrent. If they wish to forfeit their lives, I can only oblige their wishes."

Naruto blinked in surprise. That was quite possibly the most nonchalant badass statement he'd ever heard.

"Naruto, I would like you to send out a pulse of Presence as far as you can, encompass the village if possible," Itachi continued even as he removed his outer cloak.

A wide smile from the blond preceded his response, "I see. We gonna let everyone know just who they're pissing off?"

Itachi looked sideways at the Jinchuriki. "Whatever you wish to tell yourself. I just want the presence of your chakra to interrupt this widescale genjutsu so the genin and chunin and get the civilians to the safe-houses. It's standard procedure."

Naruto was about to defend himself, but he instead walked over to a bored Gaara. Probably better to not argue with that guy. "Gaara, Root should be here for you and your siblings soon."

"Good. All of the coming bloodshed might not be the best place for me to be. I'm still learning to control my old habits."

Naruto dropped a hand on the other boy's shoulder in understanding.

**"** **Well, I take it this is my time to shine? Why don't you pull a few tails out and do what Itachi asked?"**

_"_ _Fine, I know how restless you've been watching me fight alone."_

Naruto drew on a full five tails of Kurama's power, his new threshold for not needing to worry about time. The power already pouring from his body was seemingly sucked into him, and with a good deal of concentration Naruto released every ounce of Power he could.

The people asleep or falling asleep in the stands woke up immediately, and all those awake trembled before looking towards the now fiery blond. The defenders of Konoha felt a rush of relief, it appeared that Naruto's speech wasn't for nothing after all.

The attackers all had the same thought at nearly the same time. Why the hell were they still doing this?

Naruto witnessed Itachi vanish in a flock of crows, and the first thought he had was, _"There he goes to murder with his crows!"_

**"** **Really? That's the best you could come up with?"**

_"_ _Fuck off, we're getting invaded."_

Naruto deactivated his cloak and quickly made his way over to the competitor's area. On his way there, Naruto fired off a kunai backed by Gale Palm to save a pair of genin escorting a family from a Sound nin. First kill of the day.

Naruto arrived to see Kakashi speaking to the other two members of Team 7. "Naruto! How nice of you to join us!"

Naruto smiled grimly, the situation feeling a lot lighter than it actually was. "I couldn't miss out on the fun, could I? What do you want us to do?"

Kakashi nodded to the blond's words, knowing Naruto was ready to cut the banter and get down to business. "Sakura, you're going to be pivotal in healing people, so I want you to make your way to the civilian and genin center, picking up as many as you can. Sasuke, you go with her to defend her and the civilians you find. Naruto, I would like you to give them half a dozen clones to help transport people when needed, and then you have to—" Kakashi cut himself off while holding a hand up to his ear. "Naruto I just got word of a pair of massive snake summons breaking into the South wall, with Sound and Sand shinobi pouring in. You'll head there."

With a round of 'Yes Sir!' Naruto summoned the clones for his friends and even threw in a Toad. Naruto held out a pronged Kunai. "If you really, really need my help, stab this into something. I'll feel the pulse and be there as soon as I can."

And with that Naruto left, making his way to the South wall to back up his comrades and annihilate a few Sound shinobi. Sand too, but they were mostly victims of a bad order. Naruto would try to keep them alive whenever he could.

Sasuke drew a kunai and a handful of shuriken before activating his Mangekyo. And then he led his small rescue team out of the building.

Kakashi stood in place for a few more seconds, mentally counting down the time. Just as soon as the jonin expected it, a body came flying through the wall behind him. Kakashi spun with a powerful kick, ending the man's life in one loud snap of the neck.

"Ah, my Eternal Rival Kakashi! Come, for we have just started and that was my second kill of the day! You will have to really work now that I have two on you!" Gai exclaimed as he entered the hole in the wall, nunchaku hanging idly in one hand.

"Actually, Gai, I gave the killing blow on this one, so we're 1-1."

"Gah! So HIP! Have it your way, my Rival, but I will come out on top this day!" and the green-clad man sped out of the small room, looking for more enemies to add to his tally.

"Good old Gai," Kakashi gave an invisible, grim smile before following his peer.

* * *

Those posted at the south wall had put in for immediate backup as soon as they saw the massive snake burst through their defense. No one present had the kind of firepower to take that thing down, but they could take care of the shinobi trailing in behind the beast.

Forces met in the middle of the streets, streets already devoid of civilians. Being the farthest out, people tended to be ready to bolt at a moment's notice, especially on days when foreigners were present. One could blame the last few wars for that.

For every Leaf ninja taken down, at least two Sound were eliminated. Morale was high and defenders fought viciously for their homes. Things were looking manageable, until the summon snake changed targets from buildings to groups of ninja.

With one clean swipe of its tail, the massive snake could take out roughly a dozen shinobi. The thing killed indiscriminately, but twice as many Leaf died as did Sound. To add on top of that, Suna seemed to join in the fight, but on the wrong side. With their allies attacking the Leaf shinobi from both the inside and with them streaming in along with Sound, the defenders felt their will fading.

Suddenly, there was a deep, powerful _Whump!_ As the massive snake was rocked. Almost immediately after, the surrounding shinobi felt Naruto's incredible sense of Power. Reactions were understandably different for each side.

* * *

Naruto saw the massive snake from his chosen rooftop. It was at least twice as big as the one in the forest was and would likely give Gamabunta a fun challenge. It wasn't quite Boss sized, but it was damn close.

_"_ _Hey Kurama, would your cloak protect me from a point-blank pressure damage?"_

**"** **A normal pressure damage, even at full power? Oh yeah. But one using my chakra as well? You'd need six tails to come out unscathed."**

_"_ _Works for me!"_

Naruto allowed the six tails of his cloak to manifest before forming a pair of Rasengan in his hands. Rocketing forward, Naruto almost laughed at the sensation of speeding through the air at a target, just like a hyper-deadly arrow or kunai.

Naruto hit the snake in the side of its massive neck, his impact rocking the beast and alerting everyone to his arrival. Naruto let a blast of Power emanate from him even as his Rasengan finished carving out a five-by-five cavern in the flesh of the snake. It wasn't enough to dispel the beast since the scale of damage was closer to a splinter or at best a senbon, but Naruto's next attack wouldn't give it time to go home.

Naruto breathed in the rancid, bloody air, actually managing to get a good bit of the pouring blood into his mouth. Holding his breath long enough to condense and combine chakra, Naruto turned away from the entrance hole he had punched… and fired off the biggest Pressure Damage he had ever attempted.

The technique buried itself into the flesh of the snake another two feet or so before detonating, doing so before Naruto had even finished his next inhale to simply breathe. The resulting explosion was amazing.

Naruto was flung back as the red-laced explosion rocked his world, eviscerating the neck of the poor snake. Naruto was flung out of his hole, and he clearly saw the state his jutsu caused.

Clearly dead, the snake was somehow standing with its head attached by a pair of skin and flesh flaps on either side of a massive hole in the middle of its neck. As Naruto was rocketing away from his blast wave, he let out a powerful vacuum wave that sliced through the rest of the snake's neck, causing its head to fall onto a pile of its own flesh.

Naruto landed heavily on another rooftop and flicked his arms free of what blood he could. The explosion blew away much of the blood on him, but what was left was still repulsive. Naruto dropped down to five tails, saving the time in six tails for when he needed it.

"Couldn't have done it better myself, brat," a female voice purred from behind him.

Naruto turned and smiled, "Anko! You're back from your mission!"

"Just in time too," she looked Naruto up and down. "It looks like you've started the party without me! You look good in red."

Naruto was wearing a black shirt, but he had to admit the flesh and blood of the snake made it awfully red. "Anko, this is all the lifeblood of a monster snake summon."

Anko shivered before hurling a pair of kunai into the skulls of passing Suna shinobi. "Stop, please, Naruto! I can only become so aroused."

The pair then started their own small massacre. Naruto cut through two to three shinobi with the utmost ease, Kurama's chakra claws giving him an edge no swords could match. He spun with ferocious intensity, completely ignoring the severed limbs that crashed into his body as well as the dying screams of several men. Oddly enough, Suna seemed to make a decision to fall back, leaving their new allies of Sound to die at the hands of Naruto, Anko, and whatever remained of the original defensive force.

"Uzumaki," a masked ANBU said as he approached the blond.

Naruto turned to the man.

"You are requested to provide assistance at the Western Gate. A secondary summon has arrived, and Jiraiya has been recalled to assist the Hokage."

Naruto nodded, then turned to Anko. "I assume you can take it from here?"

Anko scoffed before dispatching three more Sound shinobi. The woman really was one hell of a combat specialist, and she killed with an uncanny efficiency. One man, she had stood on the foot of while driving a chakra powered kick into the underside of his jaw, snapping his head back while forcing him to remain rooted to the ground. Dead. As she did so, she bent over backwards to avoid a sword, cut open its wielder from hip to neck, and then launched the bloody kunai into a woman off to her right. Yeah, she could probably handle it.

* * *

Sasuke had killed seven enemy men and women so far, and Naruto's clones had located two families that needed help. Sakura really proved to be invaluable to the mission, saving the lives of two children and one mother as they made their way to the safehouses.

Sasuke stood on rooftops as Sakura and the clones worked their way through the street below. Two clones stayed with Sakura and the two families as the other three swept houses ahead of them for trapped survivors. They had only lost one clone this way.

Sasuke looked at his girlfriend protectively a little longer than he probably should have. She… she was really good with kids. Was that a sign for something? Not now, of course, but someday?

Out of the corner of his eye, Sasuke saw an incoming trio of shuriken. Granted, seeing it with his Mangekyo meant that there was plenty of time to dodge them. "Sakura I've got one up top, huddle down and protect the civilians! Recall the clones!"

Sasuke turned to see who he was up against. Yet another masked Sound ninja, but this one had an odd, purple belt rope thing like Orochimaru had. A jonin, then.

"Ah, the baby Uchiha! Orochimaru has been asking us to gather your eyes or body for him," the man said as his eyes narrowed.

"Orochimaru? We killed him like, three times in the Forest of Death!" Sasuke shouted back angrily.

The jonin laughed. "Foolish child, you could kill my master a thousand times and he would only come back stronger."

Not good. Sasuke would have to tell a clone that the bastard was still alive so Naruto knew.

"That's not the same for you though, is it?" and Sasuke attacked ferociously. He fired off a Great Fireball to hide his movements and ducked behind a wall.

Sasuke saw the shadow of the man and knew that he had jumped over the jutsu, but he had left himself exposed. Sasuke spun around the corner, hurling his own shuriken as he did the seals for his favorite mass of tie fireballs with his free hand.

The airborne man smirked, saw the projectiles, and simply clapped.

By clap, he smashed his hands together with the speed only a jonin would have, and Sasuke could _see_ the waves of sound and chakra fly at him. His shuriken were useless, and the waves hit him before he could get his jutsu off.

Sasuke fell to his knees. His ears were throbbing in pain, and the shockwave had coursed through his entire body. The Sound jonin landed and made his way calmly towards Sasuke. That attack incapacitated anyone it hit, and that foolish boy had left himself wide open for it.

"I've been waiting to catch you for a long time, boy."

Sasuke felt himself regain a little mobility and knew he had to make the next strike count. Sasuke mumbled softly.

"What was that? I'm surprised you can talk at all!"

Sasuke mumbled again, still not giving away the fact he could move.

The man leaned in to both pick up and listen to the Uchiha.

"You should have killed me."

A kunai found its way into the jonin's throat, even as Sasuke struggled to stand.

Sasuke would need a few minutes to regain his strength and he moved to tell Sakura just that. He was on the lowest level of roofing, and he leaned heavily against the wall he had previously taken shelter behind.

Sasuke leaned down and saw something that made his heart stop.

A woman from Sound, leaning over his teammate and the civilians from another rooftop, halfway through the seals for a Great Fireball. Sasuke couldn't make it in time. He couldn't yell loud enough to alert them. He was powerless.

The woman exhaled in slow motion. Sasuke saw the flames licking at her tongue, the flames set to separate him from Sakura. Sasuke reached an arm out in defiance of the inevitable.

The fire was stopped by a purple, ethereal, skeletal hand. Everyone looked up the bony arm in fear, and a few of the witnesses sighed in relief when they saw it was Sasuke.

One female of those who saw the arm went pale. The hand then moved quickly, too fast to avoid, and grabbed her by the middle. She knew it was over. A quick squeeze and her organs met one another in a gruesome fashion, leaving her to die on the rooftop.

Sasuke smiled even as his vision blurred and he tasted the blood run from his eye to his lips. The metallic taste was the only sensation he felt as he fell from the rooftop, utterly spent. The next thing he saw was a clone of a certain teammate catching him, and his worried girlfriend checking him over.

* * *

Naruto landed in the streets, his knee digging into the back of a Sound shinobi at the same time his blue chakra claws buried themselves into the man's neck. Naruto had the cloak off so he could travel indiscreetly, but he still made good time to the Western gate.

There was indeed a second giant snake, but it had the markings of damage on its head already. Jiraiya must have started testing its defenses before he was called back to the Hokage. Nothing Naruto couldn't handle. Naruto was about to form the cloak once more, but he was interrupted by the loud sounds of dying snake.

Black fire ate away at the head of the reptile, and the beast thrashed in agony. Several building were destroyed, and more than a few ninja were killed. Black flames? Hadn't Sasuke said something about that?

"Naruto, hello," Itachi said calmly as he walked up to the blond. He was wearing nothing out of the ordinary, a black shirt with his clan crest emblazoned on the back along with dark blue flak pants. He looked like nothing was wrong, and nothing except his hands were sporting any blood at all.

"I see you beat me here. How are things going?" Naruto asked, sending out clones to clean up any stragglers.

"Remarkably well. We've lost maybe a hundred altogether, and structural damage has been kept to a minimum. I heard you took out a snake yourself already?"

"Yeah, couldn't let you take all the glory from this you know."

Naruto was hit with a powerful memory, a signal from his clone that it was important. It really was, too. Sasuke had found out that Orochimaru was still alive, and the youngest Uchiha was now out of commission after fighting a Sound jonin and utilizing one of his Mangekyo's powers while low on strength.

"What's wrong? You're spaced out a bit," Itachi commented.

"Sasuke was leading a civilian rescue group, and he and Sakura are stranded halfway to the safe houses. He is out of chakra and weakened, my clones are requesting backup."

"I will follow your clones."

Naruto shouldn't have been surprised in the slightest. "Take this when you go," Naruto pulled out a blank tag and transferred his last chakra seal onto it. "Slap it on Sasuke when you get there."

Naruto made two more clones, both with much more chakra than his original six, and they led Itachi away. Naruto stood alone, facing a monster-sized hole I the wall. The snake summons had by now burned to ash in the powerful black flames.

Naruto made his way to the hole, and, with the help of four more clones, erected a thick Earth Wall in its place.

Naruto turned and saw three teams of Root ANBU coming his way, likely his backup. "Uzumaki, please may your way over to the Hokage's position, there is a predicament that you may be able to help with."

Naruto was about to comply when his wall was broken down, but not by a giant snake this time. A small horde of Mist shinobi came pouring in the smaller hole, and Naruto internally groaned.

"We will handle this breach, you just go to the Hokage. He is in the arena."

Naruto turned and fired off a single Vacuum Wave before he left. Half of the crowd pouring in fell, cut nearly in half by the wind jutsu.

Naruto gave a quick salute before Flashing away to one of his kunai littered in the arena from his fight with Gaara.

* * *

Jiraiya stood shaking, alone on the rooftop watching his Sensei fight for his life. Bodies lay strewn about him, the bodies of those who stood in his way. Now though, all he could do was shift his glare between his old teammate and the four assholes holding up this barrier.

For the life of him, Jiraiya couldn't figure out why his Sensei was holding back so much. He didn't still want to keep Orochimaru alive, did he?

Naruto jumped onto the roof from the arena floor, his face as stoney as Jiraiya's.

"Sensei, what's the situation?" Naruto's voice was calm and direct, the same way it was back when Jiraiya was training him.

"Orochimaru has the Hokage trapped in this barrier, which is being held up by four of his bodyguards. We can't bust through it, go over it, or get under it. Orochimaru has completed his Edo Tensei and has summoned the first and second Hokage, making things even harder. We have to either take out a guard somehow, or hope the Hokage can pull through."

Jiraiya had analyzed the situation from every angle he had. The barrier was too high level for even him, and the guards were encased in it as well. He had hoped that Naruto or Kurama might have a new idea, though.

"Hmm, let me check something," Naruto said as he closed his eyes. They reopened with a fanatic gleam in them. "Grab onto my back, I have an idea."

Jiraiya was confused but did so anyway. Naruto then extended his wind blades form both sets of knuckles and took an offensive stance, even though he was outside of the barrier.

"Hold on tight, Sensei."

Flash.

Naruto was right next to a startled Orochimaru, and his right hand removed his arm once again. He must have been getting annoyed with that by now. Naruto's left hand dug into the Sannin's gut before slashing upwards, leaving three long gashes all the way up through the man's head. The claws were long enough to protrude through the whole time, and he should have been dead by all means.

Naruto and Jiraiya quickly made their way to a struggling Hokage. Hiruzen was entangled in a deathmatch with both of his predecessors and teachers. It was a heart-wrenching fight, but one he was holding his own in regardless.

Naruto kicked the First hard enough to send him flying, and Jiraiya did so with the Second.

"Sensei," Jiraiya started, "Naruto and I will distract these two, you find a way to make sure Orochimaru stays dead."

Sure enough, Orochimaru had crawled out of his corpse, fresh and pissed to all hell.

The current Hokage nodded. Jiraiya parted with, "And If you don't kill him, I will. I don't care if you feel that it should fall to you. If you refuse to do it, Naruto or I will."

With his eyes filled with a new resolve, Hiruzen nodded and turned. His entire demeanor had shifted at Jiraiya's words, and Naruto felt that he was about to see the real God of Shinobi.

Ma and Pa ended up on Jiraiya's shoulders, and the man started gathering Nature chakra. "Naruto, Kurama won't be able to help you against Hashirama. How far along are you with Sage Mode?"

Naruto smiled, held up his arm, absorbed one of his four seals, and showed his sensei his perfect Sage Mode. "I have a collective twenty minutes in this mode."

Jiraiya cursed. "I should have figured you'd perfect it. I do think the seals are cheating though. Genius, but cheating!"

The duo separated towards their respective fights, Naruto trying to devise a plan as he did so.

_"_ _What do you know of the Edo Tensei?"_

**"** **Not much. Last I heard, the Second was trying to finish it. It is supposed to reanimate the dead in such a way that they can't be killed, nor will they run out of chakra."**

_"_ _Shit, okay. Plan?"_

Before Kurama could answer, Naruto engaged his opponent.

"I'm sorry, son, but who are you?" The first asked Naruto even as he came in with a wooden spear for an arm.

"I'm going to be the Fifth Hokage," Naruto answered, severing the wooden weapon with his claws.

Even as Naruto slashed through the First's middle, Hashirama smiled at him. "Wonderful! I am happy to meet my Village's next protector!"

_"_ _So, they aren't doing this of their own will."_

"I take it you don't have a way to let me beat you right?" Naruto asked as he avoided various roots that attempted to impale him.

"The only foreseeable method I could imagine would be fuuinjutsu. My wife would be perfect in this situation, but I'm sure that by now even she has passed."

**"** **Do you have a strong enough paralysis seal?"**

_"_ _No, but I do have an idea."_

Naruto formed a clone to occupy the Wood style user, and focused a seal onto his fingertips. It was the same seal that was used on Gaara, but this time it would be for different purposes. On top of that seal, Naruto placed the Four Symbol seal and didn't allow them to align. Hopefully the imperfect alignment of seals would disrupt Hashirama's chakra control enough to where he wouldn't be able to break a paralysis seal.

Naruto saw the wood spear set to impale his clone, and he swapped places. This would hurt.

The wooden hand sunk into his abdomen, doubling Naruto over it. The First let out a sound of dismay, and Naruto slapped the improvised double seal onto the man's stomach. The wood inside Naruto turned back into undead flesh, and Naruto placed his strongest paralysis seal on the Hokage.

It worked.

Both fighters fell back; Naruto due to injury and Hashirama due to paralysis.

"I'm pleased that you managed to stop me, but you should not have traded your life."

Naruto simply activated a three-tailed cloak, and the gaping wound shut quickly. "Jinchuriki."

The Senju smiled happily at that. "Ahh! Splendid! Would you do me a favor and turn me to watch little Hiru fight?"

Naruto smiled at the nickname and was reminded of just how old everyone here (besides him) was. Naruto turned the First Hokage, and he himself looked for his own Sensei. Naruto did manage to catch Hiruzen's use of an absolutely massive Fire Dragon Bullet.

Jiraiya had managed much the same feat, and he was carrying a paralyzed Tobirama over.

"Good job, Naruto! You even beat me to the capture!" Jiraiya complimented.

Naruto smiled back, but he was unnerved. "This doesn't mean we're stronger than them, right?" They WERE legendary Hokage, after all.

All three men laughed, making Naruto pout a bit.

"Naruto, was it? You are very impressive indeed, but we were reincarnated at about one eighth of our strength. Any stronger and we may have broken this jutsu on our own."

Hashirama's statement made Naruto balk. The very thought was insane.

"Naruto, I'll handle the rest of this with Sensei, you go back out and start cleaning up anyone still attacking."

Naruto nodded before vanishing in a flash of gold.

* * *

Back on the arena floor, Naruto saw something that he didn't expect. Bodies of Kumo and Iwa ninja, cut nearly in half. Naruto was worried that Konoha would get blamed, so he moved to hunt down the culprit. The trail of blood and bodies led to the stands, and from the stands into a hallway that led outside.

Naruto took in the scene with increasing panic and anger. His little group, his family, who had shown up to support him were in this room. Zabuza was surrounded by a dozen different jonin and chunin, from both Iwa and Kumo. There were kunai and senbon and shuriken sticking out of various points in his body, and a short tanto shoved through his gut.

Haku sat sobbing, Zabuza's grimacing head in her lap as she pulled the various weapons from his flesh. There was already a pile next to her, blood covering much of the metal. Karin was helping her, eyes just as watery, with her sleeve rolled up and ready to allow Zabuza to bite her arm. Naruto knew that when he did he would survive.

Naruto fell to his knees hyperventilating. His fists clenched and his eyes turned watery, and then red. Kurama's voice came from far away, too jumbled to make out any words. There was another small pile of bodies off to the side, except there weren't any sword cuts. They were killed by Jyuken.

And in the middle of the ring of bodies lay Hinata. Unmoving, blooded, and her eyes missing. If Karin wasn't trying to heal her… that could only mean one of two things. She was fine or…

Naruto's vision blurred, and then he saw black.


	27. Chapter 27

Naruto came to in his mindscape, hugging his knees in front of Kurama's seal. The water was up to his waist now, a sure sign that things were not going well. Naruto sat there, completely blank look on his face and hands clasping his legs so tightly his knuckles were white. Kurama had yet to say anything, and Naruto was ready to get the shit show over with.

"Tell me it was a genjutsu."

The massive fox said nothing.

"Kurama, please. Tell me it was a genjutsu!" Naruto's voice cracked, and his passive face flashed into one of anger before receding behind the mask of indifference.

**"** **Kit… you know that while we're in sync genjutsu won't affect you. I'm sorry, but what you saw was a harsh reality."**

The sound of rushing water filled the surroundings, and the water level slowly began to rise. Naruto stood up, and it came to his knees, twice as high as he'd ever seen it. Naruto's eyes were blank, they held neither emotion or life.

"Then people will have to die."

**"** **Don't get yourself killed, kit. The Hokage will be sure to start a war over this, bide your time until then."**

Naruto paused, though his look never changed. Naruto didn't even bother to stand on top of the water that pooled around his knees. "I don't think I can, Kurama. I would raze villages for her, destroy entire countries. If we're to be separated like this, then I am going to make sure that it's with a pile of bones of those who hurt her between us."

Kurama looked at Naruto, looked at the young man he was more than a little attached to by this blond was broken. No amount of wisdom or soothing words could fix him, and he wanted to hurt those who him. Those who hurt her.

"Who did it?"

Kurama could either go back to defying Naruto at every turn or support him along this dark, dangerous ride. Regardless of what the large fox thought, a true friend would only do one thing.

**"** **We only saw bodies of Iwa and Kumo, but one could have been fighting off the other. You will have to ask Zabuza for details."**

Naruto closed his eyes and nodded. He then stepped up onto the surface of the water, which was growing colder by the minute. "I'll do just that. Thank you, Kurama, for always being here."

There was no joke about Kurama's predicament tossed in, and the fox knew that his container was truly devastated. In all honesty, Kurama felt the same hatred. It was the hatred that he nurtured towards all humanity for countless years. The hatred Naruto now had for a faceless enemy, and the same hatred that had the power to destroy the world.

* * *

When Naruto next opened his eyes, he was kneeling on the bloody ground, his throat raw from what felt like screaming, and his face soaked in tears. Karin was by his side, holding and rocking him while Haku helped an exhausted Zabuza stand up.

"Naruto…" Karin whispered. His chakra had changed, drastically. The once calm, soothing feeling had turned into a maelstrom of dark emotions, the same swirling she had seen in many shinobi who couldn't handle the lifestyle anymore and ended up dying. Either by their own knife or one during a suicide mission.

"What happened," the blond whispered just as softly, his dead gaze resting on Zabuza.

"What was that?" the still unstable man asked, holding his head as he leaned heavily on a bloody Haku.

"Who did this?" Naruto asked, his voice hardening as he did so.

Zabuza knew that voice, or at least that tone. Naruto was already lost in his own darkness, and it would take one hell of a miracle to pull him back to the light. "Two dozen shinobi from Iwa and Kumo. I fought off these seven, and Hinata herself killed three. The group didn't fight amongst themselves, they must have planned it. Maybe agreed to each… each take an eye. They didn't know she was banished from her clan and given the Caged Bird Seal."

Naruto took a deep breath, walked over to Hinata, and kneeled next to her face. Once Naruto closed her empty eyelids and wiped the blood from her cheeks, she looked almost peaceful. Almost like she had accepted her death in the end. Regardless, Naruto didn't.

Zabuza released Haku and picked up his broken blade. It must have been hit with something powerful because the last half of the massive cleaver was laying in shattered ruins. Zabuza simply walked to the pile of seven bodies and laid the blade down in the pooled blood. The sword seemed to drink up the red liquid, and just as the last of the blood had disappeared, the tip of the blade finished reforming.

There was a loud explosion that came from the South Wall breach, down where Anko must be having a tough time of things. "I'm going to go help out at the South Wall. Zabuza, I'll give you and Karin chakra, get to the safehouses. I'll be back."

Naruto pulled out three tags and made three clones with enough chakra to fill them. He might feel the hit to his reserves if he got in a drawn-out fight, but it wasn't like it was his only option.

"Don't do anything too stupid, kid," Zabuza's voice was as soft as it had ever been, but Naruto paid it no mind. Leaving one last clone to gather the headbands of those responsible for the crime, Naruto took off towards Anko.

* * *

Naruto showed up to a dreary sight. The Mist shinobi had added into the fray, and Anko was now on her own, either separated from the defense squad or the only one left. Naruto didn't say anything at first, he simply watched her bend and twist away from weapons and jutsu alike while killing anyone who crossed her path. She had resorted to falling back more and more onto her own snakes, the ones she shot from her arms covered in blood. This likely meant she was running out of weapons, and soon enough options.

Naruto strode up to her, no cloak and no Sage Mode, and helped her kill off the next three that caught their eye. Naruto's arms became his weapons, his chakra claws eliminating the need for kunai in close quarters. As Naruto pulled his wrist from someone's ribcage he felt himself drifting off, almost dissociating from the situation. These guys weren't important to him. They didn't kill Hinata.

As the last of the nearby ninja were killed, Anko greeted the blond with, "Thanks for the backup, brat. It was starting to get a bit annoying just then."

Naruto spared her a glance, and she immediately noted the dead look in his eyes. Anko brushed it off, considering the look normal for someone's first major battle. Naruto may have been in fights before, but this wasn't quite the same.

"Anko, I'll clean up here. You should go get yourself patched up before your leg stops working," Naruto gestured at the hastily wrapped bandage on her right thigh. It had already bled through, but Anko had fought through worse.

"Thanks, kid, but this little love bite ain't gonna slow me down."

"Anko," Naruto started, "I'm going to do something that would work best if I didn't have to worry about people getting caught in the cross-fire."

Considering that the kid literally had access to the strongest being known to man Anko agreed. With a wave, the older kunoichi made her way from the battlefield and towards the field medic tents.

**"** **Why did you send her away? We both know you can control everything in your arsenal well enough to avoid killing her."**

_"_ _I just didn't want her asking questions or anything. I just want to kill things until I have myself sorted out, you know?"_

**"** **Hmm. Whatever you say, but we aren't waiting until you got as bad as you did last time."**

Naruto grunted in agreement before he saw the next wave of shinobi enter the broken section of the wall. They consisted of mostly Sound, but there were more than a few Mist forces intermingled in the ranks. From what Naruto knew of the Mist civil war, the side most likely helping Orochimaru was the side that was previously with Yagura and wiping out bloodlines. That being said, Naruto wouldn't have to worry about crazy abilities.

Giving a sigh at the number of people that had streamed in, Naruto took a step forward. There were roughly thirty shinobi he was facing against, and they all looked much too confident in Naruto's opinion.

**"** **Plan?"** Kurama asked inquisitively.

_"_ _Eight-tailed cloak powered presence to knock them down, mass distanced shadow clones to finish them off. I'll leave that one guy with the fancy rope belt for interrogation."_

**"** **Good. It's quick and efficient, I like it."**

Naruto stood about twenty yards from the invading group, calm and totally at ease. One man was about to start talking, likely to offer terms or Naruto's surrender like an idiot, but he was cut off by the lone 'genin' standing before him.

Naruto immediately entered a five-tailed cloak before shifting through the remaining tails to the eighth. The invading shinobi took a collective step backward as they realized who they were facing. A few quick, harsh words from the commanding Sound officer Naruto planned to capture and they seemed to bolster, likely taking comfort in their numbers.

Naruto walked forward slowly as he released his Presence.

It was yet another new variant, and everyone caught in it showed its effect. Men were brought to their knees, sobbing uncontrollably as Naruto's Presence wracked through their bodies. The only man left standing was the Sound officer, and he had tears streaming down his face even as he shakily went through a pair of hand signs.

The man didn't have time to finish. In the blink of an eye and a poof of smoke, every shinobi was at the mercy of a clone. The commander was forced to watch in disbelief as Naruto's clones disemboweled his men nearly simultaneously, the chakra claws the boy used ripping every man from neck to navel. The Officer's own clone simply bashed the back of his head with a kunai and caught his limp body.

Naruto was left standing alone, his cloak now off, in a field of corpses. The clone holding the officer had used shunshin to get the man to T&I. The new Presence he had used, the one that had brought fully grown men both to tears and to their knees, would be called Sorrow. Fitting, considering the emotions that caused it.

"Naruto," a voice called softly from behind the blond.

Naruto turned around to see Kakashi followed by a hesitant Gai.

"Sensei, hello. The situation here is handled, and I did not sense anyone else outside the wall. I captured and sent what appeared to be their leading shinobi to T&I, and the rest have been undoubtedly killed," Naruto gave an immediate field report.

Kakashi flinched at hearing the blond. He remembered that tone, he remembered it all too well. "Yes, Naruto Gai and I were here to see you handle the situation. We were on our way to relieve Anko and felt your Presence, but we feared the worst when I didn't recognize it."

Naruto nodded to his sensei, "It's new."

"I see. Well, seal up the wall, and let's all go report in. The fighting seems to have finished, and it's about time we all checked in."

Naruto only responded with a nod, and he turned to the hole in the wall. Naruto heard Kakashi and Gai talking under their breath and surmised that Gai likely picked up enough to avoid pestering Naruto about his 'youth'.

At the wall, Naruto noted the amount of rubble that was in his way. Not really too much of an issue, but some pieces were large enough to outlast the largest Great Breakthrough he was willing to use within the village proper. One clone appeared next to Naruto, and as Naruto fired off a controlled Pressure Damage his clone gave a small Great Breakthrough to blow away the resulting rubble. The pair then used Earth Wall to fill the gap, and Naruto turned back to his sensei.

"Okay, let's go check in," Naruto started walking without waiting for a response.

Kakashi gave Gai one more worried look before following his most prominent genin. Things did not go as well as they could have today for the blond, even taking the invasion into account, and Kakashi wanted to know why.

* * *

The Third Hokage sat at his desk looking more tired than he ever had before. With him were Jiraiya and both of the previous Hokage, both of them still sealed and restrained even while they listened cordially to the present Sannin's stories.

Kakashi, Gai, and Naruto were the first ones to see the battered Hokage.

"Report," Hiruzen rasped, his voice weaker than any of the three had ever heard it.

Kakashi took lead, beginning to detail the amount of damage and casualties he personally saw as well as the approximate number of enemies they encountered. Gai jumped in to add what he could, and Naruto was writing on a seal tag as they spoke.

When the two men finished talking, Naruto finished his tag as well as the energy flowing into it. The Hokage wrote down a few notes on the report of his two best jonin and eventually turned to Naruto.

"Well, Naruto? I know you weren't with these two the whole time, so what do you have to report?"

Naruto strode forward and placed the finished tag in front of Hiruzen, "Here, this should help you at least a little. It doesn't have enough chakra to restore you completely, but you'll be better off once you use it."

The Hokage smiled warmly at the boy, thankful beyond words. That was a fight he should have fought years ago, and today it was nearly the end of him. It would have been if not for Jiraiya. "Thank you, Naruto. I definitely needed this. Now, your report?"

Naruto took a breath as he thought back. "Gaara was the first to inform me of the Invasion's start, directly after the conclusion of our match. Once the massive genjutsu began to take hold on people, Itachi Uchiha asked me to pulse my Presence over the village to dispel its effects."

Everyone in the room nodded, now understanding why the genjutsu was suddenly broken.

"Immediately after that I reported in with Kakashi-sensei, and he gave the entirety of Team 7 assignments. I sent half a dozen clones with Sasuke and Sakura, the former of which was leading a civilian rescue team on the way to the safehouses. I was dispatched to the South Wall to eliminate a Snake Summon. After doing so I was relieved by Anko Miturashi and sent to the West Wall to eliminate another snake. Once there, the snake was defeated by Itachi Uchiha. I then received memories of my team requesting the backup of more clones, and I sent another handful leading Itachi as well. I then returned to the arena to help break Jiraiya-sensei into the barrier with you, Lord Third."

By the end of this block of Naruto's report, everyone knew something was wrong with Naruto. He called both Jiraiya and Hiruzen by the appropriate titles, something he never does.

"Once within the barrier, I subdued the reincarnated First Hokage. I was then instructed to leave and clean up the remainder of the invaders by Jiraiya-sensei."

Naruto began to rummage through his sealing scrolls at this point. "On my way out, I discovered that both my family and those under my protection had been attacked, and not by either of the invading villages."

Everyone in the room stiffened when they heard this piece of news. That easily explained Naruto's detached demeanor…

"I hinted to Zabuza that there would be a possibility of hostilities today, so he had his sword on his and was prepared to defend my family. He did… for the most part. I found them surrounded by fallen shinobi," Naruto then emptied a scroll to show various headbands from both Iwa and Kumo and dumped them on the Hokage's desk with shaking hands.

The Hokage could only look at the headbands in horror.

"The only member of my group to actually fall was Hinata. Her eyes have been removed, and Zabuza told me that all the attacking shinobi seemed to work together, and he assumed that they had an agreement regarding the eyes that they did not know were sealed away."

The Hokage actively rubbed his face and temples, trying his best to restrain the coming headache and his sorrow for Naruto's situation.

"I then relieved Anko, who was the last remaining defender on the South Wall, and eliminated thirty-one enemies from Sound and Mist while capturing what appeared to be a commanding officer and sending him to T&I. End of Report."

The room was silent, and the current Hokage held his head in his hands, staring at his desk. Jiraiya left the side of the reanimated Hokage and moved to comfort his student, with Kakashi moving to do the same.

Naruto's face remained stony through the hugs of his two Sensei, and his eyes were ready to meet the Hokage's when the old man looked up.

"If it is permissible, sir, I would like to know our standing with ALL villages involved today."

Hiruzen visibly winced at the ice in Naruto's tone.

"Suna will only help pay for repairs since Orochimaru actually killed their Kazekage and impersonated him for weeks. I plan to actively go to war with Sound, and by the sounds of things at least half of Mist. I haven't heard anything about Mist shinobi using any bloodlines, so we won't have to deal with their full strength. As for Iwa and Kumo…"

Hiruzen looked to the First Hokage, known for his dislike of warfare. The First closed his eyes and gave a tiny nod. Impressive considering he was sealed.

"I will engage in talks about their actions and demand reprimands… but based off of previous offenses they will deny involvement. In that case… we will likely also be at war with them."

Naruto nodded once in understanding, and the rest of those present in the room were taken aback by this.

"And of my rank in these coming wars?" Naruto continued.

Hiruzen gave a weak smile then, trying to lighten the blond's understandably sour mood. "I am proud to say that based on your performance in the chunin exams I am promoting you to chunin."

Naruto was about to give his thanks and leave, but he was cut off by the Hokage.

"But, based on your performance during the invasion, and the testimony of these two reliable jonin, I am promoting you to full Tokubetsu Jonin with a specialty in combat. I am also giving you one year to complete your travels and training instead of my promised three, and only because you are now of Tokubetsu rank. I plan for my talks with Iwa and Kumo to take a little longer than a year, so be back close to your deadline. I will give you a full week to prepare, and I want you back less than one year from next Friday."

Naruto felt his eyes widen and then nodded in understanding as he voiced his thanks.

"Before you go, I would like you and Jiraiya to attempt and remove the controlling seal from my predecessors. Their counsel and aid will be welcome in the coming times, at least until we find out how to release them back to the void."

Naruto looked over as Jiraiya picked up both the First and the Second Hokage. Thanking the Hokage once again, Naruto followed his sensei to another room to work on the reanimated men.

"So. Tokubetsu?" Jiraiya tried to start a conversation.

"Please, Sensei. Let's finish the job first, and then we can talk."

Jiraiya gave a tight smile as he agreed.

Naruto moved to the First Hokage and held up a glowing hand. It was one of the first techniques Jiraiya showed him and was based on medical ninjutsu: it scanned the area under one's hand to find any hidden seals. Naruto hovered his hand over the back and chest of the Hokage before he heard a single, rasping word.

"…Neck," the First managed to get out. His voice was strained, and he was fighting three seals to say even that one word.

Naruto immediately scanned his neck and found evidence of a seal _buried_ in the undead flesh.

"Sensei, check the back of the neck."

Sure enough, Jiraiya found the hidden seal embedded in the Second's neck. "Naruto, we can't kill them, so go ahead and cut away the flesh to reach the seal tag."

Naruto was reminded then that his sensei was still his sensei. Naruto had no idea how the man knew it was a tag and not a hand-placed seal, but the man had been doing this for more years than Naruto had been alive.

Naruto made a single cut before plunging his hand into the cold wound. Feeling metal instead of paper, Naruto pulled out a kunai with a tag attached. Jiraiya had been right.

"Did that free you of Orochimaru's influence?" Naruto asked. The first nodded and smiled, a new light in his eyes. Naruto removed only the paralysis seal at first, just to be safe.

"Ah! It is quite nice to be able to move about again!" the man said. He seemingly stretched his arms before continuing, "Hm, it would have been nice to feel the stretch as well!" His laugh was boisterous. "We can now once again defend our home, even from behind the grave."

"Brother, please control yourself," the Second said flatly. "Once Orochimaru realizes we're able to move freely he can drop the jutsu remotely. That is, if he's using my old notes."

"Naruto," Jiraiya got his attention, "You are now standing in front of Hashirama and Tobirama Senju, our First and Second Hokage."

Jiraiya's tone had a fair bit of awe in it, showing the obvious respect for the two men in front of him.

"It's an honor to meet you both, truly, but I would like to go home for a while if that's okay," Naruto turned to the two prior Hokage.

Hashirama looked at Naruto with pain in his eyes. "Yes, son, I understand. You go and rest now and know that you have served your village well this day."

Naruto bowed and left, not even sparing Jiraiya another glance. He made his way back to his apartment, and he relished the thought of simply being alone.

* * *

Jiraiya walked into his apartment to a strange sight. True, he expected Naruto to be brooding, or downright depressed, but this was something he had never expected.

Naruto was seated cross-legged in the middle of the floor, two girls sitting as close as they could to him. Zabuza was on the spare bed, doing his best to seem uninterested while his periodic glances showed his worry for the blond.

"I take it he's not doing too well?" Jiraiya asked as he walked in.

"Eh. He's been 'meditating' there since we all got home. Probably talking to that fox. Karin and Haku won't leave his side, so I'm not too worried about him," Zabuza droned from his bed.

"He's likely within his subconscious, yes, but he's also actively drawing in Nature chakra. He's training."

"What happened to the snake bastard?" Zabuza questioned.

"He sacrificed one of the men he had holding up the barrier to escape Sensei, and I had to stop the Hokage from sacrificing himself to kill the man as well. He's still leading Sound, and we'll be a war with him within the year."

Zabuza nodded grimly as he then looked meaningfully at Naruto.

Karin spoke up next. "His chakra is fluctuating. He's really upset but also channeling it. And it's like he's changing chakra signatures too, almost like he's using Kurama's chakra but it's purer."

Jiraiya nodded to her, "That'd be Nature chakra. Lemme wake him up, I gotta talk to him."

Jiraiya squatted in front of Naruto, studying his serene face for a second. Drawing a hand back, Jiraiya let go a wild slap, the sound startling everyone in the room. Naruto fell back onto his rear, holding his cheek as he heard the girls protesting the abuse.

"Jiraiya, I don't believe that was entirely necessary!" Haku asserted.

"Snap out of it, kid. We got some stuff to discuss," Jiraiya told Naruto softly.

"I've been waiting for you guys," Naruto mumbled as he stood up.

"That's all I had to do? I'll remember that for next time," Zabuza groaned as he sat up.

Naruto adopted a dark look on his face, "For Iwa and Kumo's sake there better not be a next time."

Everyone present shared a look of worry.

"Speaking of, Naruto, Konoha's going to be going to war soon. We'll need you at your strongest and I want to know how you plan to do that."

Naruto placed a hand over Karin's worried one. Both she and Haku had placed on one of his shoulders, trying their best to show their support. Naruto hummed as he thought about the question.

**"** **I think it's time you visited my temple. There should be an old chamber that was maintained by the Old Uzumaki that we can use to turn you into a perfect Jinchuriki."**

"First I'll become a perfect Jinchuriki. Kurama has an idea on how. Then I'll go back to Myoboku and finish my sage training. I got this far in a month, I should finish it well within a year."

"What about us?" Zabuza asked from his seat.

Naruto looked at his new family. "You all have a compound to get cleaned up. Zabuza, I'll imagine that the Hokage has plans he'll want you to help with since you've been in a war before. Karin and Haku, that means it's up to you to get this place running again. I know the village has kept it mostly in decent repair, so there won't be a whole lot to do. Feel free to use our winnings from the exam to hire genin teams, I'm sure the Hokage will want them to get as many missions in as possible before shit gets serious."

Karin and Haku shared a glance, happy for the trust and worried about how distant Naruto seemed.

"Zabuza, you'll be mostly on free reign until we get things running. As far as buildings to focus on, we can probably manage with four or five. We'll need a head administration building, two or three residential houses, and a dojo or two. One of them will be focused on kenjutsu and run by Zabuza, and the other one will be for general use. Zabuza once your dojo gets up and running, start accepting students for fair payment. The only exception will be Sasuke. If he wants lessons, don't charge him or his brother."

It was odd hearing Naruto speak with such authority. It was easy to forget that he was technically a clan head now. He had just turned thirteen not too long ago, and now he was in charge of an entire, albeit small, clan.

After everyone voiced their agreement, Jiraiya spoke again. "That's all well and good, but you still have to tell your old team what's going on. They're waiting for you at Kakashi's. Just to prepare you, Sasuke was the only one promoted to chunin out of the two of them, and Kakashi is letting you tell them about your own promotion to Tokubetsu."

Naruto stood and nodded. "I'll go see them then. I want to be gone within a day or two. I'll be back in a year."

No one even had a chance to comment on Naruto's promotion.

* * *

"Well, here we are again," Kakashi said as Naruto entered and sat down. "First thing's first: Naruto, how are you coping? Are you doing okay?"

Naruto was about to respond with a flippant 'I'm fine', but he saw the look his team was giving him. The look of people who were genuinely worried and would do whatever they could to help.

"No, I'm not really okay. I'm devastated and pissed off, and there's no one close that's responsible for Hinata's death that I can kill."

Sakura whimpered, and Sasuke couldn't meet Naruto's eyes. "Do you want to talk about it?" Sakura asked softly.

Naruto shook his head. "No, I'd rather just learn to accept that death happens, and then return the favor when I get the chance."

Sasuke looked mildly uncomfortable at that, "Naruto, I know I'm not the best person to lecture you on vengeance…"

Naruto actually barked in laughter. "HA! You're right about that, but your story turned out a bit better than most didn't it?"

Sasuke smiled a little bit at that. "I'm still making up my mind about Itachi, but I hope this turns out to be legit."

Sakura interrupted the two, "That's great and all, but what do we do now? I didn't get promoted like you guys did, and there's going to be a war with AT LEAST Sound, so we can't really go on our trip like we planned."

Naruto shifted a bit at that. "About that, actually. Sasuke, great job making chunin!"

Sasuke gave a smirk and Sakura rubbed his arm. "Sakura, I'm sure you'll pass the next one. You drew a bad round this time… especially after you get your training in and finish your offensive technique."

Sakura smiled warmly at Naruto's words.

"You know, Naruto, you should probably tell them about your trip," Kakashi added.

The other two members of Team 7 looked at Naruto intensely when they heard that.

"Uh, yeah! Haha about our trip? I'm still going," Naruto rubbed the back of his head as he spoke.

"But Sakura didn't get promoted so we lost our bet with the Hokage," Sasuke said slowly.

"Yeah, here's the thing though," Naruto started to explain. "Sasuke, you have what's probably the best person to teach you the Uchiha style possible. Sakura, Tsunade of the Sannin is going to start a program at the hospital for promising medical ninja. You both have paths to power right here in the village, but I still have to get stronger."

"So the Hokage is just going to send a chunin out on his own? Is Jiraiya going with you at least?" Sakura asked. Naruto sighed thankfully. His team seemed more concerned for him than upset with him.

"Well, I'm not really a chunin…"

"WHAT?" both of Naruto's teammates screamed in outrage. Kakashi did his best to hide his chuckles.

"Yeah."

"They promoted me over YOU?" Sasuke was incredulous. Sakura couldn't even form words.

"Oh! No, I'm actually a Tokubetsu now, so I should be fine going off on my own."

Silence.

"Tokubetsu?" Sakura asked slowly.

"Yeah, I got chunin from the exams and then I got a field promotion during the invasion, so… yeah."

"Yeah that makes sense," Sasuke nodded and shrugged his shoulders.

"Where will you go?" Sakura asked immediately.

"What? You guys are fine with all this?" Naruto asked in confusion.

"Of course, Naruto!" Kakashi said cheerily. "You deserve the promotion more than anyone I can think of."

"Yeah, you managed to save our asses when you were halfway across town, and that's not even considering how many you saved on your own assignments," Sasuke added on.

"Rumor has it you killed fifty shinobi at once using your clone trick," Sakura continued.

Naruto waved them off, laughing good-naturedly. "Okay, okay, I get it! You guys are the best teammates a guy could ask for you know that?"

Sakura moved to hug the blond. "You're no worse."

Naruto felt the supportive hands of the male members of his team on his shoulders, and he felt his gut clench with emotions.

"You guys, thank you. For this, I mean. If I can forget about Hinata for even a minute it's because of you guys, and I can't thank you enough for that."

Naruto felt Sakura wipe her eyes on his shoulder, and he didn't even care.

* * *

Naruto was a full two days of easy travel southeast of Konoha. It had been a relatively quiet two days, and he had only run into one patrol during his trek. If Naruto was being honest with himself, he had stopped both days early in order to take time to properly grieve his lost love. She was just… gone. And there was absolutely nothing Naruto could do about it. Both nights he let himself bawl his eyes out in the comfort of his tent. But today was a new day, and based off of Kurama's word the Temple should be less than a few hours away.

**"** **Do you realize what you did before we left?"**

_"_ _What are you talking about?"_

**"** **How about the fact that we left Konoha with its first two Kage in a condition where they can't be killed?"**

It hit Naruto then. If they lasted long enough to fight in the war, they could win entire battles by themselves.

_"_ _Remember what Tobirama said? Once Orochimaru realizes they're still animated he can remotely drop the jutsu. But until then, the advice they can give will be pretty damn useful."_

**"** **My point exactly. Turn right at the top of this hill up here, you should be able to see the temple from here."**

* * *

Naruto walked into the old temple, his eyes wide with astonishment. The walls were mostly overgrown with fungus and ivy, but the spots that did poke through were either highly decorated or painted. Naruto saw a depiction of the Kyuubi, full nine tails wrapped protectively around a group of people as it attacked something out of sight.

**"** **Yes… this was my home."**

_"_ _Where do I go from here?"_

**"** **Walk down the hall and into the main room. Off to the left of it is the room we're looking for."**

Naruto did as he was instructed, marveling the whole way to the small side room. The walls seemed stable enough despite the growing greenery, and as soon as Naruto stepped into the small room his eyes went wide in astonishment.

The entire room looked like a massive square full of mirrors. The four walls all reflected darkness with the exception of Naruto's own image, and as Soon as Naruto sat down even his reflection went dark.

Naruto then blinked, and his eyes reopened in front of Kurama's cage.

**"** **Welcome to the Inner Room, kit. This is where you will face whatever darkness you hold within you. Once you do so, your soul will be ready to attempt the merge with mine."**

"What do you mean ready? And attempt?"

**"** **Well, usually, you would have to defeat me in a battle to prove your worth to me. But I already consider you pretty okay in general, so the only issue would be your soul being impure and rejecting me."**

"How do I 'become pure' then?" Naruto asked with more than a little sarcasm.

**"** **The point of the completely dark room was to show you your own darkness, kit. You'll have to overcome it, and this place lets you face it directly."**

With that, the cage faded away and Naruto was left standing in a murky room alone. Out of the darkness came another shape, another person. Naruto reached for his kunai but felt the familiar pack missing, and instead formed a Rasengan in front of him.

The person walked out of the black mist, and Naruto was stunned to see himself, holding a similar Rasengan. The look on this doppelganger was more sinister, but it was Naruto without a doubt.

Naruto released his jutsu. "I see, this is part of the whole mirror symbolism thing, right?" Naruto asked his reflection. He wouldn't call it a clone.

"Something like that, yeah. You see, I've been living inside you, waiting for my time to take over. I'm all the emotions you've suppressed, all the anger you pushed down while laughing."

Naruto winced at the words. That would be a LOT of anger.

"So, is this going to be one of those cliché 'fight until I can't and then realize I have to simply accept you' or something?"

The reflection blinked. "Wow, you just took all the fun out of this."

Both of them sat down, the reflection looking more puzzled than anything.

"So, what now?" Naruto asked.

"I don't know, dude. I'm just you with a bit of strange temple jutsu magic added in. I was supposed to kick your ass."

Naruto sat in thought. "Hm. I accept you as part of myself."

Nothing happened.

"Okay, that didn't work," Naruto mumbled while his reflection laughed at him. "How about we try this. What are you, exactly?"

The clone smiled evilly. "I'm the hatred and fear you hide from the waking world. I'm the shunned dark side of you that you don't allow to see the light of day, the side you know would scare away everyone you care about... because I scare away even you."

Naruto's face didn't change. "Yeah, okay, but what ARE you? Specifically? Like, what ugly parts of my past made you?"

"Oh. Um. Let's see… the first time you killed a guy, that memory is in me somewhere."

That made sense, yeah.

"You being responsible for Kaito's death."

That one was pretty debatable actually. Naruto pretty much accepted that he did all he could, mostly because his team all accepted it long ago.

"And the big one… the hatred you feel for Iwa and Kumo for killing Hinata."

Naruto bristled at that one even though he knew it was coming. Who wouldn't?

"I'm totally fine hating Iwa and Kumo, why is that an issue?"

"I don't know, maybe you just aren't embracing it?" the reflection seemed just as confused as Naruto did.

"Look, I'm not gonna pull a Sasuke and live for my hatred, okay? Let's make a deal. You be happy being in my subconscious and I'll let my hatred out to play when we actually see some Kumo or Iwa shinobi."

"Yeah that sounds reasonable," the reflection said.

"So why are you still here?"

The reflection looked at itself. "Good question. Maybe anger isn't the only thing you've been repressing from those incidents?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes in thought. "We both know I've been draining my eye sockets for the past two nights. I've mourned everyone I care about, and it's time to just keep going."

"We both also know you aren't going to move on from Hinata."

"Exactly, and what's the problem with that? She got kicked out of her family to be with me, no other girl would do that. She's a once in a lifetime kind of person, and I didn't get to spend a lifetime with her," Naruto defended.

"We've been saying that since we saw her mangled corpse."

"Look, I'm a depressed, rage-filled asshole who needs to learn to cope with things, and I think I'm doing a pretty good job of it. That good?"

The reflections started fading, "No chance we could fight?"

Naruto turned around and saw Kurama again.

**"** **That was much faster than I expected. There's no way you came to terms with yourself in an hour."**

"That took an HOUR?!" Naruto asked in disbelief.

**"** **I forgot to mention time is usually distorted inside the chamber. My bad."**

"Whatever. Now what?"

**"** **Now for the fun part. You have to remove my seal and take my chakra into you."**


	28. Chapter 28

**"** **Okay Naruto, head back out and get into a meditative position, as of now you're licking the floor."**

"Oh gods oh fuck," Naruto mumbled frantically as he focused on leaving his mindscape. Once he did so, he quickly drew his tongue back into his mouth and began spitting profusely. Who knew when the last time this place got cleaned was?

* * *

Naruto spun slowly as he rubbed the surface of his tongue, confused and slightly concerned. The room wasn't pitch black anymore, but it wasn't pure white either. A murky, grey background was overlaid by angry, swirling darkness.

"Uh, Kurama? Is this supposed to happen?" Naruto asked aloud with worry.

**"** **I don't know how, kit, but you somehow managed to screw this up."**

"What do you mean? Inner me seemed fine with the way we left things off."

**"** **The only time the room has any form of grey in it is when the user is lying to himself. And since there aren't any priestesses here you can't meet with yourself again. What did you tell yourself in there that wasn't true?"**

Naruto immediately went on the defensive. "What are you talking about? Wasn't the whole purpose of Mirror Naruto to get me to 'confess my darkest fears and sins' or whatever?"

**"** **In a sense, yes. The keepers of this temple never implemented a truth knowing system here. I know that my next youngest sibling has one that does, but the Hachibi is in Kumo so good luck getting to him."**

Naruto sat down, unsure on how to proceed. "Well, now what?"

**"** **You'll have to find out whatever it is you keep lying to yourself about so fundamentally without the comfort of doing it with yourself."**

"The whole mirror me thing seems stupid now, you know. Totally ineffective."

**"** **It was supposed to just make you comfortable enough to divulge everything to yourself so you could deal with it. It's your fault that you didn't play along."**

Naruto rubbed his face in frustration. "Lecturing me isn't helping anything."

**"** **Fine, I'll throw in my nine cents, kit. I think you're still torn up about Hinata and you refuse to admit it."**

It made the most sense. It was Naruto's most recent heart crushing experience, and it was more than enough of a catalyst to throw the blond into turmoil. It was fresh on Kurama's mind as well, and he had a fairly decent idea on what the issue was. This was something Naruto had to come to himself, though. That was the point of his conversation with his reflection.

Naruto laid down before continuing to speak aloud, "Of course I'm still torn up about her. You know that… Are you saying I can't do this until I've moved on? You want me to go bone some stripper or something?"

The final jab had started out as a joke, but Kurama heard the hurt and the anger creep into Naruto's voice by the time he finished. Kurama remained silent, content to make Naruto figure himself out.

"I can't just _move on_ , Kurama. She did so much for me, taught me so much. I don't care what this stupid fucking room says, I'm not forgetting her!"

The heat of Naruto's anger was starting to grow, but it didn't seem to be aimed in any specific direction.

"I still remember the day I met her, the day Ino and Sakura ditched me. And what about Ino? Is she gonna try to swoop in now that I'm single? Try and take her spot?"

Kurama felt the tears start to stream out the corners of Naruto's eyes. **"Ino isn't like that. She only stopped talking to you when she found out about Hinata likely because seeing you hurt her."**

"And there I go hurting people again!" Naruto scowled as his voice rose. "People I'm supposed to care about, to protect!" Naruto shut his eyes and thumped the back of his head lightly against the cold floor. "Ino helped me get Hinata in the first place, and I just… threw her away without even realizing it. I really am a shitty person, Kurama."

There was no response, so Naruto kept going.

"I mean, For the longest time, I pushed people away, people who only wanted to be my friend. I didn't use my full capabilities to protect Kaito, and he died. It would have been so easy to blow that fucking Iwa nin apart, but I had to settle for a slow kill. And I'm over that! I learned! I miss Kaito, but the guilt is gone. No one, not even me, can blame me anymore."

"But I guess I just can't help but fuck up. I had the Hiraishin, Kurama. The fucking _Hiraishin!_ How could I let anything happen to my family when I know that damn thing!"

Naruto stilled then. His breathing slowed, and his eyes remained shut to the swirling walls of the room.

"I should have tagged her. I had so many goddamn chances to… I even knew there was going to be an INVASION and I didn't tag her. I could have left a kunai with anyone in the group and saved her. Saved them all from fighting."

It was then Kurama knew. Naruto _did_ blame himself for her death, he was just suppressing it to avoid breaking as he did with Kaito. The lesson on his guilt-driven depression was supposed to be learning to forgive your own mistakes, not avoid acknowledging you even made one.

"Honestly. What must have been clogging my mind so much to ignore the fact that I had a tag on Orochimaru, but not with anyone I was supposed to be protecting?"

Kurama knew Naruto was talking out of his ass now, trying his best to ignore the tears streaming down his face. If he was with his reflection, he could yell at himself and argue until he came to an understanding, but it had to be done the hard way now.

**"** **You know Zabuza would have been more than enough of defense unless they were targeted. You had no idea they would be."** That would have to be one of the last things Kurama said, or else he'd risk Naruto simply agreeing instead of believing the conclusion to this whole conversation.

"So what? I should have done _everything_ I could to protect them. To protect HER. It's not like it would have been very hard at all to slip her a kunai and make something up about me wanting her to have something to remember me by while I was fighting. I could have said it was a keepsake from my dad if I didn't want her to know early."

Naruto laughed then. It was a bitter, mocking laugh, and it resounded cruelly off the interchanging walls.

"That's the real kicker here! They didn't have a tag with them because I wanted to fucking _surprise_ them! Big surprise! Hinata's DEAD!"

Small shuddering breaths were all Naruto could manage. "I guess I have to come to terms with that, huh? I was lying about it and the room knew? Well, I said it. And I have no idea how to get over it."

Kurama wanted to slap the blond, anything to get him to start thinking a bit more rationally.

"The whole time I knew her she was teaching me things. She taught me that not all girls made bad friends," a rueful smile, "that classes could be suffered through with the right people. That wanting someone so bad that it holds you back from going after them is a shitty reason to avoid them. That being _happy_ was okay. Do I just take her leaving me as another lesson from her? Is that all she was good for in Kami's eyes? Something to simply _develop my fucking character?"_

Kurama winced at the bitterness Naruto was openly showing.

"She would have done that, too. Helped me even when she was dying, I mean. Well, I've learned, Hinata… if you're able to hear me from wherever you are. I'll protect those I love with everything I have. I'll put a tag on every one of them. And I'll treasure them for as long as I have them."

Kurama waited in the silence as Naruto spoke with growing resolve. It likely wasn't perfect, but his reasoning would hopefully be enough to strengthen his soul. It probably wouldn't shatter if they tried to merge now.

**"** **Kit, open your eyes."**

Naruto did so, wiping what tears remained as soon as they cracked open. The walls had changed again, but still weren't the pure white he had hoped for after he tore himself apart. The white background was much more prominent and covered most of the room, but small, grey tendrils of grey darkness danced around the room like shifting veins under the skin.

"Is that good enough? I don't know how much more I have in me."

**"** **It should be. Get in here and remove the seal so we can merge. Cross your fingers that your soul can take it."**

Naruto nodded to himself and sat back up in his favored meditating position. He had no idea how long he'd be in his head, so he might as well not come to with a stiff neck.

* * *

Now within the darkness of Kurama's jail, Naruto looked up at the innocent looking seal on the cage doors. The water around his feet was back down to his ankles, so that was a good sign. "Alright, Kurama, just to be clear: You haven't been tricking me this past like ten years and plan to eat me as soon as you're free right?"

Kurama gave a low chuckle. **"No, kit, as much as you annoy me I won't eat you. We're… ugh, friends. And don't sell yourself short. With your Sage Mode and Hiraishin, you'd likely give me an enjoyable fight. Just like your father did."**

Naruto smiled lightly at the praise. Getting praise in any form at all was a rarity with Kurama.

"Alright, let's do this. It'll be nice to shake your claw without one of us reaching through bars."

Naruto walked forward, feeling the ground shift beneath him to give him stairs with every step. The seal was quite a way up, and once Naruto was there, he had to simply stare for a moment. He was about to do the one thing Jiraiya had stressed to never do in regards to Kurama. Naruto reached forward, ready to finally break the seal.

Just as Naruto started to peel the paper down, he felt a hand grasp his wrist and another sweep him off his feet, back down to the ground. Naruto was frozen in confusion, who the fuck was in his mind?

"Don't lose yourself, Naruto. I know you're stronger than that."

Naruto looked up from his seat on the wet ground at a man he never even dreamed of meeting in the waking world. The man he had idolized as a child because of his title and his deeds. A man he had heard of at first only in stories, and eventually later on in truths. Naruto was looking at the Yondaime Hokage, his father, in all his glory.

"Dad?" Naruto said weakly.

"Jiraiya told you?" the fourth said in surprise. "I figured he'd have put that off for as long as he could, but you don't even look fifteen yet!" Minato smiled jovially as he said that, placing his hand on the back of his head.

Naruto cut off any words that may have come after that a crushing hug. Minato was forced to simply smile and hug his son back, doing his best to keep his face passive. He had to make a manly first, and only, impression on his son.

"You asshole," Naruto mumbled into the fabric of his father's cloak. "How are you here?"

A fatherly smile preceded a simple, "To put it simply, I'm awesome like that."

Naruto laughed and stepped back, looking at his dad up and down. "Really though, how did you do it? I know that your seal is a modified version, so was there a section dedicated to trapping your chakra memory until something triggered it?"

The Yondaime flapped his jaw soundlessly a few times, his eyes wide. "Uh, actually that's pretty close. I'm a chakra imprint that was released when you started to break the seal. The plan was that I'd be here to pull you from the brink of insanity and repair the seal… on top of finally seeing my son."

Naruto smiled lightly at that. "Thanks, dad. Wow, I really never thought I'd say that after I found out Ero-sensei wasn't really my dad…"

"Ero-sensei?" Minato raised an amused eyebrow, "I assume we're talking about Jiraiya?"

Naruto gave a heavily exaggerated nod. "You know it. And everyone I've asked says he hasn't changed a bit in all the years they've known him in that regard."

Minato let out a barking laugh. "I guess that's good to hear, at least. Naruto, what drove you to attempt to break the seal so early? You're still so young," Minato's head was tilted slightly at this, something Naruto found comical coming from someone storied as powerful as his dad.

"Kurama and I are trying to become one, I have to be a perfect Jinchuriki for the coming war."

If Minato was surprised at Naruto's sealing knowledge, this news absolutely dumbfounded him. On one hand, he was extremely happy his son had managed to tame the wild Kyuubi to such a degree of brokering a partnership, but on the other hand he hated his baby boy fighting in a war.

"Uh, well… I see you became a ninja like your old man," he tried to save the mood.

Naruto chuckled audibly. "What else was I supposed to do with all this chakra?"

"Speaking of chakra, I should have enough for about another hour and a half since I don't need to repair your seal… If you're going to break it, would you mind doing so while I'm still here? I have another surprise for you."

Naruto groaned. He wasn't sure if he could handle a surprise of this scale again. How do you top getting to speak to your deceased father?

"Kurama! Would you mind holding off our merge thingy until my dad disappears?" Naruto called out.

**"** **I don't see a problem with it. Also, hello again, Yondaime. I am happy I get to apologize to you for my attack in this life, and not in whatever comes next."**

Minato smiled up at the hulking fox even as Naruto made his way back up to the seal. There would be nothing stopping him this time.

Kurama moved back and away from the cage, ready to give Naruto and his father some space. It really was nice to absolve himself of what guilt he carried for his actions while he was controlled. Granted they fixed nothing, but it made him feel better.

Naruto pulled at the seal once more, this time managing to rip the whole thing off. There was a bright flash, and Naruto fell onto his rear once more as he shielded his eyes. Naruto blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the bright new surroundings.

"Hello there, Naruto."

Another new, feminine voice. Naruto didn't dare to get his hopes up, but when he dropped his arms he knew right away what his surprise was. Standing in front of him in all her fiery haired glory was the woman whose picture decorated his house with his father. His mom was smiling warmly at him, more love in her eyes than Naruto had seen in all his life combined.

"Mom!" Naruto flew forward, tears streaming freely despite Naruto's best efforts. He had cried too much in his opinion, he was supposed to be a badass!

"Oh, you're so big now! Are you eating alright!? Did you behave in school? Jiraiya hasn't corrupted you at all RIGHT?" she babbled in a motherly tone Naruto never knew he had missed. She was smothering him in hugs, kissing his forehead when she could and mixing her tears of joy with loud, genuine laughter.

"Hey, can I get some of that?"

Kushina whirled around at the voice, her eyes wide and frantic. "MINATO?!"

The man in question stood with his arms wide, his eyes shiny after watching his family reunite. "In the… chakra!"

Kushina ran at the former Hokage, jumping and wrapping both arms and legs around him as she kissed him loudly. Naruto averted his gaze, and he got a vague sense of normality from the scenario. Did everyone go through this?

"You were right dad," Naruto spoke up as he wiped his eyes and face dry. There would be no more tears for a few years, he had dipped too far into his quota. "This was a great surprise."

The family then sat down to talk, speaking first of Naruto's early life and training with Jiraiya. There were plenty of laughs, outrage when the two proud parents heard how the village took their baby's sacrifice, and many proud parental hugs or pats on the head. Naruto felt more at peace than he ever had before. If this was heaven, he could very well never return and be more than happy with his decision.

Before Naruto could get into the gritty details of his ninja career and kill the mood, he asked about his parents. How they met, how they grew up, all the normal things Naruto thought a kid should know about his family.

The family of three sat together, Naruto and Minato leaning their backs against each other and Kushina resting her head in her husband's lap as she held her son's hand as she listened. Naruto loved the way he could feel his dad laugh, or his mom squeeze his hand during tougher parts of his stories.

Kushina talked with her hands. A lot. Whenever she spoke she dropped Naruto's hand to make her wild gestures, pointing at things that weren't there or demonstrating how one thing or another moved. Naruto couldn't see it, but his dad watched her with love pouring out of his eyes, absolutely ecstatic that they were able to share this. He didn't even know if it mattered since the real him was dead, but damn was it nice.

Eventually, Naruto was cornered into speaking about his ninja career. His parents dropped more praise and prideful words on him than he had ever dreamed of, and he felt his heart swell. They heard of his first C-Rank with Gai, saving the day at Wave, and even of his boring time at the border.

Then Naruto got to the uglier parts. His mother cried when he recounted Kaito's final story, she had grown to like the boy from the few times Naruto spoke of him. Naruto thought his parents would like all of his friends, but Kaito had a way of winning anyone over especially quickly. Naruto struggled to tell his parents about how he dipped into a depression following the mission, and there was a lengthy conversation about his parents dealing with similar situations and how they coped.

Naruto brightened the mood by telling them how close he was with his team now, and that he had been promoted twice in one day to Tokubetsu. (He left out the invasion for the time being). Naruto kept up the happy atmosphere by informing them that he had taken over as Clan Head and had already started to rebuild, taking two powerful ninja into the clan and finding one other true Uzumaki during the exam.

When Kushina had jokingly asked about a girlfriend and made Naruto stiffen and fall silent, she knew something was wrong. Minato felt it as well, and both parents looked at their now crestfallen son, Kushina siting up to do so.

"Naruto? What's wrong?" Kushina asked softly.

Naruto bit his lip, keeping his eyes low. "This is a pretty tough subject to talk about, but I want you guys to know."

Both parents had the immediate and negative thought that some girl had broken their little boy's heart. They had no idea.

"So. Three days ago was when I got promoted. The Chunin Exams. I made chunin without any issue and even won the tournament, I already told you that… but my second promotion came from the field. During an invasion by Sand and a new village called Sound."

His parents gasped at the new information.

"Before you ask, yes, we were still allies with Sand. Orochimaru killed and impersonated the Kazekage, so we aren't holding them personally accountable aside form paying for some of the damage."

Kushina growled, a new thing from her that startled Naruto. "I never did like that pale weirdo."

"The real problem came from Sound and Mist. Orochimaru has taken over half of Mist's forces, the half that sided with Yagura during their civil war. They all invaded as well. What I didn't tell you earlier was that I had actually been dating Hinata for quite some time, and after she was kicked out of her clan we made it official and public."

Minato smiled lightly, "Hinata as in your first real friend?"

His wife was quick to add, "That's adorable! I love it!"

Naruto smiled sadly but kept to his internal promise and shed no tears. "She was with my little family, and Zabuza was one of the Seven Swordsman of the Mist so I figured he could handle the protection detail. On top of that Haku and Hinata weren't pushovers."

Both parents could hear the bad news coming.

"While I was off on assignments around the village they were targeted and attacked. I don't even remember how many, but Zabuza was incapacitated, Karin and Haku were struggling to heal him… ad Hinata was dead."

Kushina wrapped her son in her arms, and Minato's followed hers before long.

"Her eyes were gone, and she was surrounded by both Iwa and Kumo ninja. She died because I refused to tell them about the Hirashin early and give any of them a kunai. She died because I was childish and stupid."

Kushina wiped her eyes, the tears for her son burned hot against her cheeks. "Iwa and Kumo are lucky that your dad and I aren't still around, I'll tell you that!"

Naruto tucked his head into his mother's embrace and felt marginally better. He knew he would have been a momma's boy.

"Naruto, sometimes things happen that no matter what you do to prepare, you find ways to beat yourself up about in hindsight. Yes, Zabuza would have been more than enough to protect the girls, but that would have been against the normal, random invasion squad. You had no idea they'd be targeted or how much danger they were in."

Naruto took a breath before saying, "People keep saying that, yeah. But if I had just given one—

Minato cut him off by squeezing both Naruto and his mom tightly. "But nothing. You did what you could at the time for the situation you were in, and that's all you could do. I take it you've read the journals I've left you? The fight with Iwa that made them hate me is a perfect example."

Naruto stayed silent to hear his father's advice.

"As soon as I'd arrived, I took notice of how many men we'd lost. So many casualties and it was a battle for just a bit of ground. My two options were to retreat and have them pick off even more men from behind, or to take them all out before we lost anyone else. As everyone knows, I walked out onto the field and gave them terms of their surrender. When I had to dodge the first jutsu my kunai went up… and the rest is history. But every night after that I remembered. The feel of bones giving way to my hands. Flesh tearing as men and women screamed under my Rasengan. I could have spared them. I could have knocked them out, or I could even have killed half and let the rest know what I was capable of."

Naruto listened intently, knowing exactly what feeling his dad was speaking of. "Everything's clearer in hindsight. All we can ever do is our best, and at times where it isn't enough… we can only pray for another chance."

The three sat in that embrace for a time, simply relishing the time they had together.

"I do feel a lot better now. Thank you, so much. For everything," Naruto told them.

"Hey, we had a lot of time to make up for, ya know?" Kushina said warmly.

"Now, how about you go and have that chat with Kurama? We've been here for quite some time and we only have about twenty minutes left. There are a few things I want to… say to your mother one last time," Minato smiled at his wife, whose eyes twinkled knowingly.

"Oh, oh Kami! I do not want to be here for that!" Naruto squirmed to escape the loving arms that trapped him.

"JIRAIYA DID THIS TO YOU DIDN'T HE? I'LL KILL HIM!"

Minato only laughed through his light blush of being seen through but released his grip nonetheless. Naruto managed to escape, give them one last proper hug and 'I love you', and left Kushina's mental sanctuary to see Kurama.

"Now that our son has given us some privacy…" the Yondaime Hokage started suggestively.

"Say no more, pretty boy, you have to end one hell of a dry spell in only twenty minutes!"

"I lied. We have forty."

* * *

"Kurama?" Naruto called out once he saw darkness once more. "You still around?"

There was a brief minute of silence before there was a response. **"Unfortunately, yes. I do in fact still have to put up with you."**

Naruto shifted on his feet in his trepidation. "So, uh, how do we go about this?"

**"** **I believe you just pull my chakra from me and merge it with your own. Eventually, my soul will follow."**

The explanation itself was rather vague, and Naruto struggled to make sense of it. Shrugging his shoulders, the blond jinchuriki closed his eyes and drew on a Nature chakra seal through his stock-still 'real' body. If the process involved sensing chakra this would be the way to do it.

Now in full Sage mode, Naruto saw the vast mass of Chakra that was Kurama. Reaching a hand out, Naruto touched the red mass and began to draw it in as he would with Nature chakra. He could feel the heat, the _power_ coursing through him, and eventually, the secondary warmth that followed flooded him. Naruto fell to his knees, his very being wracked with pain. His soul? Regardless, he would live. And all of the power he felt was his.

* * *

Hinata opened her eyes groggily, her hands bound and her surroundings unfamiliar. She was sitting in a chair, facing the back of a man in a black cloak with red clouds adorning it. The man must have sensed her wake because he turned his mask to face her.

"Oh! You are awake at last it seems!" the man's playful voice didn't match the feeling Hinata was getting from him.

"Where am I? Who are you?" she asked softly.

"Tobi is a good boy!" the man started. Then his entire demeanor shifted. his back straightened, his head was held more firm, and his very being seemed to exude a subtle _danger_. "And you, little Hyuuga, are in my own little world. You'll stay here until I need you again, when I'll need you to help me secure the loyalty of a certain blond we both know."

Before Hinata could give any words of protest, the man swirled into what seemed to be his eye, leaving her in the strange, grey world.

* * *

Sasuke burst into Sakura's house, his eyes were wide and his movement erratic. He quickly scanned the room he had entered, and upon seeing no pink hair immediately started calling out for his girlfriend.

A faint voice from up the stairs was his guide, and he flew up the steps nearly at fighting speed. He couldn't help but move quickly for this, and he had been sprinting throughout the village trying to track the elusive girl down.

Sasuke burst into the bedroom he had been inside only once before. "Sakura! Kami, I've been looking for you!" He was out of breath and was left panting in his doorway, not yet even have made eye contact with her.

"Oh, I know you have," her low, sultry voice sounded from her bed.

"No, you don't understand—"

"I _told_ you Sasuke, I'm ready to _explore_ …" Sakura almost whispered.

Sasuke looked up from his knees and didn't even have to try and subdue a blush at his scantily clad girlfriend. He had important information, damnit! Why was she… hey, she looks pretty good in red…

"Sakura, no, that's not why I'm here."

Sakura rose up on her sheets with an exaggerated pout, hooking her thumbs in a place that would usually drive Sasuke wild. "Oh? I can think of a few pretty good reasons why you'd be here… and a couple of _really_ good ones, but you'll have to ask nicely for those!" she gave him a suggestive wink as she licked her bottom lip, tugging with her thumbs.

"SAKURA PLEASE."

"Ooh, that's all you had to say," she was chewing on her poor bottom lip now, idly swinging her hips back and forth.

"For fuck's sake, Hinata's body wasn't real!" Sasuke screamed before collapsing face first in a puddle of his own nose blood.

Sakura sobered up immediately. "Wait what."

Clothes flew back on and she frantically woke her dangerously aroused boyfriend. "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?"

Sasuke looked at her face in a daze, as if staring at some sort of divine being. "They finally got around to autopsies today, and the bird cage seal wasn't on her forehead. Naruto told us he was taking it off AFTER the exam, so her body is a replacement that didn't know she's no longer heiress."

Sakura dropped him and started pacing. "Oh, boy. Oh, FUCK. Naruto's going blow up. We have to tell him."

Sasuke stood up quickly, still slightly hunched in order to conceal one of his own little problems. "Wait, weren't we gonna explore first?"

Sakura was rummaging through her bag, looking for something. "Sorry, Sasuke, the mood's gone."

Sasuke turned and bashed his forehead against the doorframe. Sakura pulled out the three-pronged kunai Naruto had given her and started jabbing it into the ground repeatedly. Sasuke didn't see this at first and was doing his best to figure out how to find 'The Mood' again.

Naruto flashed in suddenly, twin Rasengan ready to claim even more victims. Sasuke scrambled to a nearby corner to adjust the front of his shorts.

"Sakura? Why am I in your room? And why is Sasuke facing a corner like a kicked puppy?"

Sakura only smiled tightly. "We have news."


	29. Chapter 29

Ino leaned heavily over the counter of her family flower shop, her head resting on one hand and her hair being twirled in the other. The invasion had happened only a week ago, and yet everyone was back to an almost normal routine. Was that messed up or was it just her? There were more than a few people that died, and now everyone was laughing as they fixed buildings and holes in the walls.

The blond girl sighed to herself as she thought of people that 'died'. Everyone knew by now that Hinata's body was a fake, and now there was a surge of anger and hostility directed at both Kumo and Iwa. Ino didn't care too much about the political side of things, though. The whole situation had torn Naruto apart… twice. It was something Ino hated to see happen.

Try as she might, she couldn't shake her feelings for the crazy jinchuuriki. While she was happy beyond words that he had secured the heart of the princess he wanted from before, her own heart was still sore from the day she had her own hopes dashed against the rocks. She knew he didn't mean to do it, but his lying to her about his relationship with the Hyuuga had given her a very, very poor hope.

Why did she start avoiding him again? Sure, seeing him laugh or even smile in her direction made her heart flutter and stomach drop, but she could accept that she couldn't have him. Sure, there was a burning pit of jealousy whenever she had seen Hinata seemingly attached to her arm. And sure, she felt like the most despicable person alive when she heard that Hinata had supposedly died and didn't dare approach him in fear of suspicion. Wow, she really wasn't all that good of a person, was she?

Ino left the counter as she found herself in her own head, trying to busy her hands around the store as she internally debated.

Was there a small glimmer of hope when she received the news of Hinata's passing? Eventually, yes. Two days afterward, actually. Hinata was her friend before her rival for Naruto, she had learned her lesson with Sakura about doing this the other way around. The same went for Naruto, and she had wanted nothing more than to find and comfort him while he was likely hurting the most he had in a long time.

If it wasn't for Shika she would have gone, too. Leave it to that lazy smart-ass to show her reason. Everything he said had been true, of course. Maybe if she wouldn't have freaked out when they found out of Naruto's secret relationship, she could have seen him. Maybe if she had remained his friend instead of avoiding him there wouldn't have been any suspicion of her being a heartless opportunist.

All she could do now was hope that Hinata was found unharmed, or else Naruto would start a war all on his own. And since her father had pledged the clan's support, she'd be dragged into it as well. That's not saying she wouldn't fight for Naruto or Hinata, but if it came to that someone was going to be wiped from the map. In Ino's humble opinion of the boy of her affections, of course.

It didn't matter too much anyway, Naruto would be gone for a year, plenty of time to get over a boy in any case. She did say hi to him the day she found out that Hinata was alive, and he seemed friendly enough. Apparently, Sakura had got him to come home to hear the news, and then he tagged all of the people he considered a family with his Hirashin. He's an impressive one, that's for sure…

Ino idly watered the plants as her mind wandered, thinking of other things to keep her thoughts from Naruto. She'd see him in a year, and she could start rebuilding the friendship then. It wouldn't be like when they were kids. She'd do things right this time. 

* * *

Kiba felt the sweat running down his nose as he furiously went through another set of push-ups. His mind was a mess, his thoughts scattered by the haze of anger he felt, the anger he knew was likely mirrored by Naruto.

Who the fuck did Iwa and Kumo think they were, taking his teammate like that?

Kiba pushed himself through the shaking fatigue in his arms, finishing the set and setting himself about his laps around the training field with Akamaru. He had made one pass at the girl, back in the academy. Her response then was timid and meek, totally not his type of woman. But when they were assigned to the same team, he noticed how her confidence seemed to grow, along with her already impressive fighting abilities.

Kiba was the youngest child of his mother, so the closest thing he ever felt to brotherly protectiveness was to Akamaru, and that hardly counted. His sister could handle herself, so Kiba had never really had the kind of protective affection that came from having a younger sibling.

Until Hinata. With Shino being so emotionally distant, the majority of the bonding came from Hinata and Kiba. She confided her crush on Naruto to him long before that dolt had any idea of it, and he told her of his worries about being strong enough to earn his clan's pride. They grew close and eventually Shino was added into the fold, but Kiba felt the most connected to Hinata.

And someone had taken her. In the end, all that meant was that someone was going to die, and as long as Kiba drew breath it wouldn't be his teammate.

There was one thing for certain that every one of his graduating class knew: war was coming and they had to get stronger. Naruto had left to do so, and he was already a freak of nature as it was. Everyone had thrown themselves into some form of extra training between missions, even Shikamaru. There was no way he was getting left behind, and Akamaru agreed with him.

If the world wanted to come after Hinata or Konoha, then the answer was honestly quite simple. The world would pay. 

* * *

Itachi stood upon the roof of his childhood home, overlooking both his old attached training ground and his rapidly advancing baby brother. Itachi was hailed as a genius growing up, and with good reason. That being said, it wasn't like he didn't have amazing teachers. Sasuke was almost similarly impressive, and under Itachi's tutelage, he would only grow stronger. Itachi held a hand to the side of his head, feeling one of the residual throbs from his new eyes.

Tsunade had insisted on having the Uchiha brothers swap eyes when she heard of the possibility of the Eternal Mangekyo curing his sight. In truth, he was in serious debt to the legendary medic, and for more reasons than just his eyesight.

Apparently, the sickness that had been ailing him since childhood was a rare form of a disease in his bones. He didn't bother learning the name of it, he was only concerned with how the woman said she was able to cure it. It would take her a week to gather the medicine needed to do so, but he was excited nonetheless. Sasuke even more so.

Itachi smiled as his thoughts drifted to the younger brother that was working tirelessly beneath him. He had made the best choice of his honestly miserable life when he decided to spare him that night. Sasuke was now working on mastering shape manipulation for lightning, an impressive feat for his tender age. Granted, Itachi had it down years prior, but it was a different time then.

Sasuke was for some reason hell-bent on modifying the Chidori as soon as he was able. Itachi saw the appeal, it was a jutsu that was designed to be most effective for wielders of the Sharingan after all.

Sasuke had a lot of plans on improving himself, many of which Itachi took an active role in teaching him. His genjutsu was improving, and once a few more days passed and their eyes were fully healed he planned to start teaching him the powers of their bloodline.

Checking the time, Itachi prepared himself to start dinner and send Sasuke off. As he cooked, Sasuke would go see Zabuza at the Uzumaki compound for his hour of kenjutsu, and when he returned Itachi decided to start telling him of the plans for the days ahead.

Itachi promised Sasuke that he'd be much closer to being Naruto's equal at the end of the year, and he planned to make good on that promise. 

* * *

Tsunade sat down at her desk, the pile of papers in front of her making her feel very much how she imagined her sensei did every day. The hospital had been a busy place since the invasion, and there was a lot of paper to slog through. That being said, she wasn't upset. She was still in Konoha so she wouldn't say she was happy, but she definitely the most… content… that she had been in a long, long time.

The training wing had started out relatively slow, but a few months in and it was a raging success. Students also had plenty of practice, there were plenty of shinobi that were running themselves into the ground to prepare for the coming war. There was also the odd team that came in from active missions, but they were far less than the former type of patients.

Her best student, you could say apprentice at this point, was one Sakura Haruno. On her own she had blown by the beginner's course, months before Tsunade had ever seen her. With a few minor adjustments to her technique, Sakura was the only one in the advanced class, and she was halfway through it already.

In truth, the pink haired teen was the brightest up and coming medic nin Tsunade had ever personally seen, Shizune included. Sakura's rough usage of the strength multiplier was a testament to this since the chakra control required was on a higher level of medical requirements as well. In fact, Sakura was even reading up on Tsunade's own Strength of a Hundred seal, the first aside from herself to even attempt the technique.

Tsunade couldn't help but smile to herself when she thought of the girl's reason for wanting such rapid growth. That team of hers was something else, and she didn't want to settle herself on 'better than average'. Tsunade knew that Naruto would come back one of the strongest in the village, and Sasuke wouldn't be far behind him. If Sakura could accomplish the goals she has set for herself, then Tsunade saw the next set of Sannin becoming better than the originals. They were already closer as a team.

Tsunade got down to looking over papers, a bottle of sake already open next to her. She never drank heavily while at work and limited herself to only two bottles. She was so responsible, it was honestly amazing. 

* * *

The Third Hokage frowned in his large chair. Things were not going as smoothly as he had hoped. Orochimaru was a slippery specimen, and so far he and his entire 'village' had escaped every tracking team's notice. They had scoured most of Sound country, but the village proved harder to find than even Takigakure.

He couldn't even ask his predecessors for help, for they had both been dispelled within a week as Tobirama had predicted.

On top of this, both Iwa and Kumo were being difficult. Neither would admit to their hand in Hinata Hyuuga's capture, and both vehemently blamed the other. All in all, it gave Hiruzen a headache.

He was doing his best to buy the time he had promised Naruto, although he knew if war broke out sooner than expected they could get the blond back in a literal flash. The jinchuuriki had left tags or kunai with several of his closest friends. As it was, a message sent to Hiruzen from a village in question could be held onto for roughly two weeks before his reply would seem overly tardy. With that timeframe in mind, he figured he had roughly three months before tensions broke, and almost four until Naruto was due to return.

It was manageable. Hiruzen could always ask for a month of reprieve, a month to talk with a reeling Suna. The poor village in the sand was a mess, and Hiruzen knew the only thing keeping them safe from an attack was the fact that they were still allies with Konoha. They needed to pick a new Kazekage, and soon.

Jiraiya was a whole separate issue. He had taken Kakashi and Anko to try and find Orochimaru, Akatsuki, or Hinata. They each had personal reasons for wanting to find each of the targets, and they were all more than skilled enough to take on the task. The biggest issue was that none of the targets were prone to be located.

Akatsuki was still a wildcard in the world. Jiraiya brings him occasional whispers of them wanting the Biju and the jinchuuriki, but the only reported absence of either was Yagura of Mist. They were biding their time, and it worried Hiruzen to no end for what they could be waiting for.

His only real solace was the fact that Tsunade was home. She was home and she was as close to happy as she had been in years, and Hiruzen held onto a silent hope that she would take the hat. At least until a certain blond was ready for it.

With all this and more on his mind, Hiruzen Sarutobi turned back to the paperwork he had on his desk. Maybe a bit more strong-arming would get someone to fess up, but then again maybe it would expedite a war. Who knew? 

* * *

Neji stood with an arm outstretched, his entire body covered in an angry sweat. There were three incapacitated clan members surrounding him, the sparring session finally having come to a close. His anger wasn't directed at the people he was fighting, surprisingly, and he could almost feel an equal amount of rage emanating from another on the edge of the field.

Neji was pissed. Hiashi even more so. Hinata was the root of both of the men's anger, but for a pair of different reasons. Hiashi was understandably upset at the attack and kidnapping on his daughter, and it wasn't even the first attempt. That was what made Neji so angry. Kumo had done this before, and they had the audacity to (unknowingly) steal his father from him.

It didn't help matters that Hinata was one of the few people from his clan that he respected. In the beginning, the respect stemmed from her relation to Naruto, but after Neji had a conversation with his uncle he started to see her as something other than a disgrace.

Even as Neji relaxed his stance and walked towards his uncle he could see the words his father wrote him dancing in front of his eyes. Neji had lived his life wrong, and Hinata had been the only clan member to never truly hate him for it. Like his father, Hinata had given up the life she knew with the clan for love. For sacrifice. Something Neji had never even considered doing. She was stronger than him in that regard, but unlike him, she didn't gloat about it.

Neji brushed past his clan head, satisfied with his own performance. He had spoken much less since his defeat at Naruto's hands, and Hiashi took it as a sign of improvement. Today was Neji's last test, and since he had beaten the three of the next strongest fighters around his age, Hiashi would train with him personally. Neji looked at it mostly as a means to get vengeance on Kumo… as much as he hated to do so. His father wouldn't be very proud of such trains of thought.

It was hard, trying to change one's entire lifestyle and habits of thought. He was trying, but he knew it would take a while. Neji vowed to change himself into someone his father would be proud of, and someone who can honestly apologize to Hinata and Naruto when he saw them again. And he was prepared to make the effort to change for as long as it needed. 

* * *

Karin oversaw the construction of yet another clan building on the compound. Naruto had left her in charge, and she was going to make sure that he came home to a compound he could be proud of. She was, of course, watching the work from the comfort of one of the clan building's lounging rooms, but she was also training.

Her sensory abilities had only grown over the course of the last year. She wasn't a fighter like either of the other two people in the compound, but she was useful in her own ways. Karin had actually started a nice group of friends in the village, and they all came over Sunday nights for a kind of girl's night. At least dinner.

Haku was of course there, but so was both Ino and Sakura. Tenten was their most recent addition, and it wasn't until Tenten said something that Karin realized that she had fit herself into the graduating class that Naruto was a part of.

The girl's nights weren't too expensive, nothing Haku didn't contribute to the clan accounts in a given month. There were still millions upon millions left in the account as it was, and Karin had Naruto's permission, so she wasn't too worried.

The clan head had kept in touch with her, sending a clone for updates or at the least a toad with a note. Karin knew that he was getting ready to come home within the next month, and she was more than a little excited. She did promise to herself that she'd hold off on winning him over until after they got Hinata back because then Hinata could help her convince him of taking advantage of 'repopulating the clan'. At least, she hoped she would. 

* * *

Sakura lay face down, panting into the dirt of the training field. It was late, much later than most people trained. In truth, this scene wasn't uncommon in the village anymore. The majority of active shinobi would literally train themselves into the dirt like this, the only difference for Sakura was the fact that she couldn't see the sun anymore.

She had taken up extra training on top of what Tsunade gave her. Again, many people were taking extra time to train, but Sakura really felt like she was taking it a step further. Not only was she completing crazy tasks from one of the village's Sannin, but she was also attempting to complete the impossible tasks from the village's resident taijutsu specialist. Yup, Gai was giving her instructions that left her body broken almost every night, but she simply saw that as more practice to heal herself.

She had completed the Strength of a Hundred technique as of a few weeks ago, and she had the outrageous idea to try and learn to open a couple of gates to augment her instantaneous healing. When she had brought the idea to Gai, there had been plenty of shouting about youth, and then she had to prove that she could manage to heal herself to the extent she said she could.

Sakura hoped to be able to open at least the first gate by the time Naruto came home, that way she could accompany him and Sasuke whenever they went to retrieve Hinata. It was honestly crazy that she hadn't been found yet, and she also knew that it wouldn't stand once Naruto was put on the case.

Sasuke was… amazing. He was a great boyfriend once he pulled his own walls down enough to be a human, and he somehow managed to balance small dinners and dates in between both of their rigorous training schedules. He trained every day with his brother, every other day with Zabuza, and the days he didn't study the sword he would spend time with her.

Naruto had better not be slacking because if he was Sakura figured she and Sasuke would give him a run for his money. 

* * *

Sasuke sheathed the plain katana with a shaky breath. Zabuza stood across from him, giving a simple nod of dismissal before the older man turned and left. Sasuke fell onto a bench, leaning his head back and breathing loudly. The ex-Kiri nin knew his craft well, and Sasuke had yet to land more than a glancing blow during their spars. At least the man had stopped barking insults and corrections, so Sasuke knew he was making decent progress.

The thoughts of progress made him think back. Itachi had trained him very well, and Sasuke knew he could take on a pretty decent sized force on his own. He was also at the point where he could complete genjutsu on eye contact like the legends about his clan members. Sasuke doubted he would ever match his brother with 'genjutsu completion with a finger point', but it wasn't Sasuke's main strength in the first place.

Sasuke had also made a pair of modifications to the Chidori. When he showed it to Kakashi during his only visit over the past months the one-eyed man had been proud. Probably as proud as a father would have been.

Sakura also trained with him. Well trained until they usually had a small dinner date, but enough for him to see her own improvement. He honestly couldn't block her attacks anymore, otherwise, the training session would be over and she'd be healing his arms. Sasuke was proud of her too, and he no longer felt like that he'd have to protect her on a mission. She was more than capable now.

Sasuke had led a few missions over the last few months. Nothing as crazy as the ones he went on as a genin, but they were challenging enough. Sakura had even come along for his first one, something about easing the transition of leading near strangers.

Sasuke knew his growth was rapid. His Mangekyo had assured him of that. The techniques he had with his dojutsu was frankly quite unfair, but he would utilize them without hesitation. Since both he and his brother now had Eternal Mangekyo he also no longer worried about going blind.

And his brother! Sasuke thought he was amazing before, but after Tsunade had both swapped their eyes and healed his brother's illness Itachi had skyrocketed in his ability. It was like gravity seals had bogged down every aspect of his older brother, and now they were gone. Everything Itachi did was so crisp and flawless, Sasuke counted it as a victory if he landed more than two shots during training.

He hoped Naruto's training kept him in shape as well because it would be nice to spar with someone his age that he could go all out against. With Itachi, it could be disheartening since he never seemed to be able to hit his brother, but Sasuke knew Naruto would give him the fight he wanted. 

* * *

Orochimaru sat in a lavish room, lounging in utter comfort in a large house in Mist. The last year had been more than entertaining to watch. His spies had reported that idiot teammate of his scouring the countryside of Sound looking for him. His old Sensei was struggling under the pressure of the Hyuuga heiress' kidnapping. Iwa and Kumo were getting fed up with the accusations and were geared for war.

Orochimaru sat up, stretching as he decided it was time to join the fray.

"Yagura, find Kabuto and tell him to bring me Sasuke. It's about time I got myself a new body."

**Author's Note:**

> I do have this story posted over on Fanfiction as well, but I'll have the entirety of it on here as well. Let me know what you thought, any advice is welcome for future projects!


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